Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts - Prophecies of the Past
by Boskov01
Summary: Aqua, Terra, Ven and Axel gradually learn of the events surrounding Master, Eraqus and his Mark of Mastery Exam via the Master's Tome of a Keyblade Master they had long forgotten. Prequel fic to the Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts saga. Better Summary inside.
1. Prologue

**Summary: **Aqua, Terra, Ven and Axel gradually learn of the events surrounding their Master, Eraqus, and his Mark of Mastery Exam via the Master's Tome of a Keyblade Master they had long forgotten. Prequel fic to the Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts saga. Better Summary inside.

**Summary (The better one): **Aqua, Terra, and Ven are given a final gift from Master Yen Sid. This gift is the Tome of Master Lillian, the last of the mystical Foretellers, individuals with the power to see through time. Through this tome, they (plus Axel) learn of the strange events that occurred involving their late Master, Eraqus, and his Mark of Mastery Exam thirty years prior to the First Kingdom Hearts Incident. Prequel to the Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts Saga.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except perhaps Lillian and maybe a few OCs but not many. Everything else belongs to Disney and/or Square Enix. Also, this is a musical. The origins of the songs used will be listed at the ends of the chapters in which they appear.

**Author's Advice: **This story is the 6th installment of the Reconnect Kingdom Hearts saga. If you haven't read those stories, I advise you stop, turn around, and start from the beginning which is Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts. A full reading order can be found on my profile page.

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**The Land of Departure**

It had only been a few days since the incident in the Forgotten Worlds had come to an end. Aqua was taking some time to relax from the long journey, but not too much time since there was a special event set to occur at the end of the month which was only six days away. Terra and Ven were already making preparations, Terra wiping down the thrones in the Land of Departure's throne room while Ven used Zero-G magic to float in the air and clean the chandelier. As they worked, Aqua walked in with a smile.

"You're cleaning, and I don't have to beg you to do so?" Aqua asked as Terra and Ven both shrugged.

"Want things to be spotless when Si'Lea and Nixe arrive." Terra replied but Aqua wasn't fooled.

"Si'Lea specifically, am I right?" she asked as Terra shrugged.

"May~be." He replied, unsure of his own answer. Aqua merely smirked and shook her head with a chuckle.

"I'm glad to see you're optimistic about it, Terra. It's about time something good came your way." Aqua said as Terra shrugged.

"Well, I might as well hope." Terra said as Ven floated down and landed onto the ground.

"Have we gotten the RSVPs for the 'event' back yet?" Ven asked as Aqua held up at least five envelopes.

"Si'Lea, Nixe, Riku, Kairi, and King Mickey have all RSVP'd to say they're coming. Still waiting on Master Yen Sid and Sora though." Aqua said but Ven and Terra exchanged worried looks.

"Yeah, you might need to give Sora some time." Ven said, Aqua giving a sad nod. Terra's expressions were also rather saddened as well.

"Right." She replied softly. She was visibly worried for Sora and she wasn't the only one.

"Look, let's not dwell on this. What about Master Yen Sid? Is he coming?" Terra asked.

"If he was, he wouldn't have sent me instead." A familiar voice said from nearby. Everyone turned and saw a familiar figure in a black coat and hood with some kind of box-shaped object tucked under its arm, standing at the top of the stairs to the right of the thrones.

"Axel? What are you doing here?" Terra asked as Axel, the former Flurry of the Dancing Flames, approached with an uncharacteristic frown on his face as he pulled back his hood.

"The old man sent me with his reply." Axel said, handing Aqua a sealed envelope. Aqua quietly took the envelope and opened it, pulling out the letter and blinking in surprise at what it said…

"He's not coming. Master Yen Sid isn't coming." Aqua said, surprising Terra and Ven.

"What?! Why?!" Ven asked.

"He says, 'Axel will explain everything.' Well Axel?" Aqua asked as Axel blinked in surprise and then groaned.

"Thanks for that little blindside there, boss. Okay, it's like this. The old man is retiring. He says that his power has diminished to the point that he can't keep going. He was supposed to have retired eleven years ago but put it off when that whole mess with he-whose-name-starts-with-an-X began. Now that there's at least four Keyblade Masters out there with more on the way, he feels that continuing to call himself a Keyblade Master is unnecessary now so…he's going back into retirement." Axel explained, the three Keyblade wielders all looking at each other sadly but understandingly.

"Well, if there's anyone who deserves it, it's Master Yen Sid." Aqua said, Terra and Ven both nodding in agreement.

"So what about you Axel? Weren't you his assistant?" Ven asked, Axel scratching the back of his head slightly.

"Kinda, sorta. Any openings here by any chance?" Axel asked.

"We'll talk." Aqua said but Terra couldn't help but notice the strange box beneath his arm. It was wrapped in simple brown paper and tied together with twine.

"Axel, what's that?" he asked. Axel looked confused for a moment before he realized Terra was referring to the box and held it up.

"Oh, this. Yen Sid wanted me to pass this on to the three of you specifically. It's something he feels the three of you should know about. Says it belongs to one of his former apprentices. Didn't say who but that the three of you would know." Axel said as he handed Aqua the box. Aqua quickly tore off the packaging and pulled out a thick blue hard covered leather book with a stylized letter L in gold emblazoned on the cover and a gold lock keeping the front and back covers of the book together. Aqua's eyes widened and her jaw dropped open in awe, recognizing the meaning behind the letter L immediately.

"By the light! This…this is-…" She gasped in shock.

"A book." Axel deadpanned.

"Not just any book." Aqua replied, turning to Terra and Ven who were both curious.

"Terra, Ven, this is the Tome of Master Lillian." She said, turning the cover of the book towards them, both of them looking just as awestruck as Aqua was.

"Master Lillian? Are you sure?" Ven asked, but Terra was surer of the declaration as he gazed at the cover.

"It's hers alright. That's her symbol, that gold colored letter L. I'd know it anywhere." Terra said as he gently took the book from Aqua, running a hand over the cover in awe.

"Okay, Axel's confused. Who's Lillian?" Axel asked.

"Where do we start?" Ven asked no one in particular.

"Master Lillian was…she was practically the closest thing to a mother we ever had." Terra said, Aqua nodding.

"She was a Keyblade Master, trained right alongside Master Eraqus even." Aqua added.

"We didn't see much of her for years at a time but once in a while she would come and visit us. She was always so kind, so loving. She always said we'd become great wielders of the Keyblade, never doubting us for a second." Terra explained.

"And when she said it, you were smart to take her word as gospel." Aqua said as Ven gave a nod.

"I only met her a couple of times but I could never forget her." Ven added, Axel crossed his arms over his chest.

"If she's such a great Keyblade Master, then why haven't I heard of her?" Axel asked.

"Because she's been in exile for almost thirty years now." Aqua replied, startling Axel.

"Exile?! Sheesh what did she do to deserve that?!" Axel asked but Terra and Aqua merely smiled and shook their heads.

"No-no, not like that. It was self-imposed. She believed the nature of her work was so important that she could not afford to share the details of where she was or what she was doing." Terra explained.

"All that she would say was that she was, and I quote, 'kindling a spark that would become a brilliant light in the future.' I don't think even Master Eraqus knew what it was." Aqua replied.

"She would know." Ven mumbled with a slight shrug.

"Not to be 'that guy' but, what makes you say that?" Axel asked Ven who scratched his head.

"Well…I'm not sure how to put it." Ven said as Terra smiled slightly.

"Easy, she's a Foreteller. A rare individual with the power to see the future." Terra answered.

"The visions of a Foreteller are kinda fickle. Sometimes they can call them up at will, sometimes they come without warning, and sometimes they won't come at all. But they were always considered accurate predictions." Aqua explained.

"And sometimes when they grow older, the scope of their vision increases to the point where they can look into the past, to see past events from different perspectives, even the ones they participated in. Like seeing events through the eyes of another, seeing what happened behind their backs." Terra said as Aqua took the book from him, marveling at it.

"I wonder what sort of prophesies or accounts she has written down in here." Aqua said, as Axel shrugged.

"Not much from what I can tell. Seems to be all about your old Master, Eraqus." Axel replied.

"That's no surprise. The two were very close." Terra said but Ven furrowed his brow.

"Wait, how do you know, Axel?" Ven asked as Axel arched a confused eyebrow.

"What do you mean? I opened it and read it. Only got as far as the first page though." Axel replied.

"But how did you get past the lock? It's a Master's Tome." Aqua said as Axel shrugged.

"It opened for me. Didn't have any problem with the lock. I just thought it was broken." Axel replied as Aqua checked the lock. It unlocked for her, allowing her to open the covers. She then handed it off to Terra who, surprisingly, was able to open the book without any resistance.

"He's right. And I'm not seeing any secret script either." Terra said as he closed the book and handed it to Ven who, like the others, was easily able to open the book and read from it.

"That's odd." Ven said, handing it to Axel who demonstrated his own ability to open it.

"See?" he asked as Aqua took the book back.

"Maybe she'll tell us why inside." Aqua said as she headed for the castle library, the other three in tow.

"So what else should I know about this Lillian woman?" Axel asked.

"Well, she was Master Eraqus's Fiancée." Terra replied, causing Axel to blink.

"Whoa! Really?!" Axel asked as Terra smirked back towards him.

"Really. They called off the wedding though. Not sure why. I know it wasn't out of any form of dislike. They certainly acted like they still loved each other whenever they were together." Terra explained.

"I always wondered why they called it off. I guess maybe it had to do with Master Lillian's work." Aqua said as they reached the library, Aqua moving to sit down on one of the couches for comfort.

"Maybe that's in there too." Ven suggested as he and Ven sat down in chairs near her, Axel standing near them.

"Possibly." Aqua replied. Terra's expression then slightly darkened.

"I wonder if…he is in there." Terra said as Aqua and Ven both looked at him sympathetically.

"It's extremely likely. They were classmates after all." Aqua said. Axel didn't have to guess who they were talking about now.

"You're talking about ol' Superior, right?" he asked.

"Yeah." Ven muttered.

"Well, Aqua?" Terra asked, looking at Aqua who swallowed nervously before standing up.

"I suppose that this calls for something more than just sharing the same book." She said, setting the Tome down on the couch, walking over towards one of the towering bookshelves where an object shrouded in a drop cloth sat near it. She then proceeded to remove the cloth, revealing a brass and gold music stand-like object. The stand was decorated in elegant golden swirls and designs. Aqua quietly picked it up and carried it to the semicircle of chairs and couches where the others were. Axel looked at Terra and Ven and finally sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Great, gotta be 'that guy' again. What is that?" Axel asked.

"It's the Arcana Librium. It's a sort of magic teaching tool used to aid in instruction. It's like…hmm, how to describe it." Aqua said as she adjusted the stand.

"You know that device Sora has in his room? The one with the disks that makes music?" Terra asked. Axel gave him a blank stare.

"You mean the CD player? Come on gramps get with the times." Axel said, earning a glare from Terra.

"**I've been preoccupied." **Terra said using his Xehanort voice, causing Axel to recoil in alarm.

"Is this going to become a reoccurring thing with you?" Ven asked Terra who sat back in his seat but said nothing.

"So what's this thing do then? Read the story to us?" Axel asked as Aqua set the Tome on the stand.

"Pretty much. It allows us to see what the author envisioned when writing it. It usually just makes approximations, but I would imagine in the case of a Foreteller like Lillian…" Aqua said, looking at the tome for a moment in thought.

"You mean kinda like how an author would put their heart and soul into their work, right?" Axel asked, earning startled looks from the other three.

"That's…that's right, Axel. The Arcana Librium is usually able to decipher that and translate it for others to see." Aqua said as Terra kicked back in his seat.

"Doesn't always work though." Terra said as Ven sighed.

"Putting Aqua's diary on it doesn't work." Ven said as Terra smirked with his eyes closed.

"Juicy stuff?" Axel asked. Aqua was surprisingly casual about the alleged invasion of her privacy.

"Not unless you count critical self-examinations of her fighting and magic abilities to be juicy. Some of it is just magic spell formulas and calculations. Complicated stuff. If anything it's worth a look just to see how scary smart Aqua is when it comes to magic." Terra replied as Aqua gave a dismissive wave, sitting down on the couch.

"Please, I'm not that good. But that's beside the point. Are we ready?" Aqua asked as Axel pulled around a chair, sitting backwards in it.

"This thing has a pause button, right?" he asked.

"It stops after every chapter. We have to initiate each chapter manually." Aqua said as Axel shrugged.

"Go for it." Axel said, Terra and Ven giving Aqua a nod. Aqua nodded back and raised her hand towards the Arcana Librium.

"Arcana Librium! Begin first entry!" Aqua said as the stand began to glow with a soft blue shine, the room around them turning dark. The stand even faded away until there was nothing but darkness. Finally a single light began to shine from overhead, illuminating a simple table, a cloaked figure sitting in a chair, hunched over the table with the open Master's Tome before them. This figure was a woman of early-middle-aged years with long slightly curled auburn hair and green eyes, a white shirt with long sleeves and the cuffs rolled back under a brown coat with tan cuffs and gold lining (not unlike Captain Hook's coat only a different color), a pair of loose fitting brown slacks held up by a brown leather belt with a polished silver Mark of Mastery symbol for a belt buckle, a pair of black seaman's boots with down turned cuffs near the top, and with a light blue with silver lined metal cuff around her right bicep. She sat writing on the first pages of the tome with a sad expression, using her left hand to write while her right hand held the page steady.

"_Look to the past, to know the future." _A woman's voice said with an English accent. The voice was sourceless but it was clearly the woman's own.

"_That is the creed of every Foreteller. Although this creed is passed down through the ages. It is not properly known or even understood until the time is right for us to understand it" _The woman's voice said as she took a moment to calm herself. Her expressions implied that some past trauma had awakened. Her right hand shook a little and she took a moment to calm herself before continuing.

"_I have seen much. Seen things I wanted to see and things I wish I hadn't but needed to all the same. In doing so, I realize the curse that has befallen me. To see such Darkness that I should have always seen but ignored. To see the fates of those I love so darkened…and to know that they will not live to know the truth until it is far too late, if they ever learn it at all. The people I had hoped to save, cannot be. And so…" _she said. She then paused her writing to look up from the table, looking squarely at where Aqua was sitting. She then smiled warmly towards her, causing Aqua to swallow nervously.

"I thought this was just going to be some kind of projection." Axel muttered to Terra, both men and Ven displaying similar expressions of shock. The woman then turned and looked towards Terra and Axel, seemingly smiling at them before looking over at Ven.

"It must be coincidence." Terra muttered back. The woman then resumed her writing. Scratching out the words "And so…" (Music Cue: Simple & Clean Orchestra Instrumental Version – KH1 Soundtrack)

"_The people I had hoped to save, cannot be. But I know the worlds will be protected. It has been my duty these past nineteen years to kindle a spark that will ignite into a brilliant light. My time guarding this spark is drawing to its end. Darkness is returning to the worlds. This Age of Light is ending. But the Light will not die. It never can, never will. But I know it will be protected. I have seen it. I have found the one who will protect it." _The woman said as the light around her faded away.

"_But…to know the Future, I must show you the Past."_

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**Boskov01 Presents…**

…**A Kingdom Hearts Fanfiction…**

…**Inspired by the Kingdom Hearts Franchise owned by Square Enix and the Walt Disney Company…**

…**the Sixth Chapter in the Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts Saga…**

_**Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts – Prophesies of the Past**_

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**End Chapter 1.**

**Please R&R…**

And just to put this in perspective, the bulk of this story takes place twenty years before Birth By Sleep. That's Thirty Years before Kingdom Hearts 1, and Thirty-One Years before Kingdom Hearts 2. So basically this story takes place 31.5 Years prior to the current story.

I'm envisioning the older Lillian as being voiced by Cate Blanchett, quite literally for her role as Galadriel in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies. She's both gorgeous and has a beautiful voice for narrating.

_**IMPORTANT REQUEST: **_Please refrain from posting ANY Kingdom Hearts III spoilers in your reviews or any personal messages.

_**IMPORTANT REQUEST FOR ANONYMOUS AND GUEST REVIEWERS…**_

Never let it be said I don't appreciate receiving reviews, but I like to be able to communicate effectively with my readers. Anonymous Reviews rob me of the opportunity to communicate with my readers. I don't feel it's smart to answer someone's reviews IN a story unless it's particularly noteworthy (e.g. sharing an interesting question that others might want to know the answers to). So please, not to discourage those who read my stories, if you have a FF dot net account, please sign in before reviewing. If not, please make an account. It's free, it's easy, and it takes about 5 minutes tops. You don't have to write or post any stories yourself. There are people who have accounts strictly so they can review and keep track of their favorite stories as well as communicate with other authors.

Please keep this in mind if you're trying to ask me something. If you ask me a question and you're not logged in as a registered user, then your question will likely not get answered. The reason isn't because I don't want to reply to you, it's because I can't. There's no way for me or ANY fanfiction dot net user to reply to a guest review. We could answer your questions at the beginnings/endings of each chapter and some do that. I typically do not do that UNLESS I find the question specifically noteworthy or if I need to resolve some confusion. If you ask me a question and you're not signed in or you don't have an account, you can probably expect to see your review ignored or outright deleted. Again, I don't want to ignore you, but there's no way I can reply to you if you're a guest.

So please, sign in before reviewing.

Boskov


	2. Apprentices of Old

**Thirty One Years Ago…**

"And so it all comes down to this…the fate of the worlds down to this one last act."

"Checkmate."

"WHAT?!"

A young, dark haired man in his late teens sat aghast as he sat across from a similarly young woman with curly brown hair. Lillian sat chuckling at the her opponent's expression as he eyed the chessboard between them. Lillian had the same clothes as her older self except her hair was a little longer in the back and she was visibly younger.

The man across from her had a head of long and slightly curled black hair, wearing a navy blue shirt with a large white X pattern on the front along with slightly shorter than normal, light-colored hakama with black with gold lined metal boots, and a piece of black with silver lined armor on his left shoulder. He looked the board over with a confused expression as Lillian chuckled.

The two were in a commons room made of grey stone bricks and wooden supports with a pair of bullet shaped yellow tinted windows providing light

Finally the man buried his head in his hands.

"Augh…fell into that trap again." The man said as Lillian got up and moved to put an arm around him.

"I have an unfair advantage though." Lillian said as the man looked at her suspiciously with a smile.

"Using your foreteller powers is cheating you know." He said but Lillian just shrugged.

"I can't help it when visions come to me." She said as the man sighed and stood up.

"Yeah? Any idea when 'that day' will be then?" he asked, taking her by the hand. She just gave him a sad smile.

"Not yet. My sister still hasn't quite given her blessing." She said as the man sighed and shook his head.

"When will she give us an answer?" the man asked.

"My sister is a very busy person. She can't be rushed." Lillian said as the man sighed. About that time, a small figure came running in.

"Oh! There you guys are!" the figure said. He had a cartoonish appearance with a pair of long rabbit ears, a pair of four fingered gloved hands, large black shoes, and a blue-one piece jumpsuit of sorts with short sleeves, with a silver Mark of Mastery Insignia for the zipper chain.

"We were just playing a game of chess, Oswald." The man said as the small rabbit scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, well, the Master's looking for ya." Oswald replied.

"Well we best go see what he wants. Where is he?" Lillian asked as Oswald motioned for the door he'd just entered through.

"He's in the courtyard. Come on. You too Eraqus!" Oswald said as Eraqus, the young man, shrugged, the two following the rabbit through the halls of an antebellum old grey castle.

"I wonder what he wants." Lillian said as they walked.

"No idea. The Master can be so cryptic." Eraqus said.

"Did he say anything, Oswald?" Lillian asked but Oswald shrugged.

"Nope, just said to get the two of you and have you meet him in the Courtyard." Oswald said as they passed through a large room with a black and white checkerboard floor. The columns around the edges of the room were even shaped like large chess pieces.

"Strange." Eraqus said as Lillian winced, starting to blink repeatedly.

"What's wrong?" Eraqus asked as Lillian rubbed her eyes.

"My eyes just started stinging a little is all. It's been happening lately." She replied.

"I've noticed. Have you tried eye drops?" Eraqus asked, putting a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, dear, I have. Still happens and it quits after a moment. It's already stopped now." She said as Eraqus nodded understandingly but he still seemed worried.

"Alright." Eraqus said, still giving her a worried look as they walked into the courtyard. The courtyard was a large open air area within the heart of the castle itself. The castle was a large open space of grey cobblestone surrounded by a series of tall walls and grey towers with conical blue roofs save for the tallest tower which had a tall golden point. In the center of the courtyard was a large round stone platform that was flat on top and a set of wooden steps on opposite sides.

"Where is the Master, anyway?" Eraqus asked.

"Probably in his study downstairs." Lillian replied. Almost exactly on cue, there was a strange explosion coming from an open door in one corner of the courtyard. The explosion was also accompanied by a plume of multi-colored smoke and the sound of a badly out of tune brass orchestra. A figure in a large blue robe came staggering out, falling onto his back with a laugh as he clutched a conical blue hat, with white stars and moons on it, to his head.

"Wow! Now that's an explosion!" the man laughed as he staggered to his feet, the three Keyblade Apprentices running to his aid.

"Master Talw! Are you alright?!" Eraqus asked as they helped him to his feet. The man merely laughed. (A/N: Talw is pronounced Tallow)

"Alright?! That was an incredible bang! Took me back to the days of my carefree youth for a moment." The man, Master Talw, said with a nostalgic smile before shrugging, removing his hat and putting it into his robe.

"Well, that's enough experimenting for one day. I believe the two of you know why I called you here?" Talw asked with a warm smile. Eraqus and Lillian both looked at each other, confused but smiling.

"Does it have anything to do with our engagement?" Eraqus asked but Talw shook his head.

"Nope, sorry, but hopefully by the time all is said and done, you'll be able to tie the knot as something a little more than…oh…say…apprentices to an old conjurer." Talw said, shooting the two a smirk from over his shoulder. All three of them knew what he meant right away.

"Wait, you mean…" Eraqus said, stunned as Talw smiled and spun towards them, holding out his fist with the palm up before opening his hand to reveal two floating golden Mark of Mastery insignias. Eraqus and Lillian's eyes both lit up at the sight of the insignias.

"That's right. Your Mark of Mastery Exams. They're scheduled for the day after tomorrow." Talw said, closing his hand around the Marks as Eraqus and Lillian both looked at each other with excited grins before throwing their arms around each other, embracing each other excitedly. Oswald was hopping up and down with excitement as well.

"Wow! I can't believe it! I wish I could be there!" Oswald said but Talw laughed.

"Who says you can't?" he asked as Oswald looked at the Master excitedly.

"Really?!" he asked. Talw crossed his arms with a smile.

"Absolutely or I'm not the great Master Talw Yen Sid!" Talw said with a grin.

"Okay, hold up!"

Everything suddenly froze as Terra, Aqua, Ven, and Axel appeared, seemingly seated in midair thanks to the magic of the Arcana Librium.

"What is it Ven?" Aqua asked.

"That guy with the beard. Is that really Master Yen Sid?!" Ven asked as Aqua laughed.

"Absolutely. You see, he used to be the guardian of the World of Disneylahn. Well, actually, he always has been. You've been there actually. His old tower near Twilight Town?" Aqua asked as Ven looked at the castle being projected around them in awe.

"This big castle is that little bitty tower?!" he asked.

"He's that powerful." Terra added.

"You don't seem too surprised by this, Superior." Axel said to Terra who sat back with a nostalgic smile.

"Master Eraqus's memories are coming up to the surface. I've got a wild case of déjà vu. What about you two? How'd you two know about this?" Terra asked Axel and Aqua. Axel just pulled out a folded letter from his robe.

"Old man had to sign my paychecks you know. Plus he signed all his letters as Talw Yen Sid. Got it Memorized?" Axel asked as Terra and Ven turned to Aqua who furrowed her brow curiously.

"I'm not really sure I know how I knew that. I think Master Eraqus mentioned it. I also vaguely remember having this nightmare about a disco party of some kind." Aqua said as Ven shrugged.

"Alright then let's keep going." Ven said as he sat back in his chair.

"Before we do, can we agree on a 'no stopping except for potty breaks' rule?" Terra asked.

"Agreed." Aqua said before she raised her hand, the foursome disappearing and the scene resuming.

Eraqus and Lillian separated finally and turned towards Yen Sid.

"Will my sister be coming?" Lillian asked. Talw took a deep breath with a hesitant expression.

"I've been writing to her and using other means short of physically going to her home to contact her, but I've not gotten any responses. I don't believe any tragedy has befallen her but if the test comes and goes and we've still not heard anything then we'll investigate." Talw said as Eraqus crossed his arms over his chest.

"We've been waiting on her reply regarding her blessing." Eraqus said as Lillian smiled slightly.

"But at least we're not the only ones she's not replying to." Lillian said.

"True." Eraqus commented.

"Who else will be attending, Master?" Lillian asked. Talw merely smiled.

"Master Ory sends his regrets for not being able to attend. You know how he likes to roam. But your old classmate will be in attendance. He's given his personal RSVP." Talw said as the older two students exchanged pleased smiles.

"He's coming?" Eraqus asked.

"He is." Talw replied with a smile.

"We've not seen him since he became a Master." Lillian said as Eraqus looked at her curiously.

"Really? No visions?" Eraqus asked but Lillian shook her head.

"None. But then that's not unexpected. My visions, as you know, are quite fickle. I think the only thing more fickle is a woman." Lillian said with a coy smirk as she turned towards one of the doors, walking away and leaving three men who didn't dare reply.

"So then…I guess I better go prepare his old room." Eraqus said with a coy smirk as he started to walk away. Talw similarly smirked towards him.

"Go easy on the itching powder this time, 'kay?" Talw asked with a chuckle. Eraqus merely gave a thumbs up as he walked away.

"So what are we going to do, Master?" Oswald asked.

"Oswald my boy, we are going to prepare our own welcome for our guests." Talw said as he cracked his knuckles.

"Great! What can I do to help?" Oswald asked as Talw knelt down, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Your job is going to be kinda boring. You're gonna be my lookout." Talw said, causing Oswald's ears to stand on end.

"Lookout? You're up to something sneaky again, aren't you Master?" Oswald asked as Talw smiled and shrugged innocently.

"May~be." He replied as he stood up and started towards the door to the underground area. Oswald just shrugged with a smile. A look of curiosity then appeared on his face before he started following after the Master.

"Oh, hey, Master. How do you pronounce the guy's name again? It's so weird." Oswald said as Talw chuckled.

"Take my advice, just call him Master, in your case. But to answer your question, his name is Xehanort." Talw said as they descended the stairs. The scene suddenly froze again, the four spectators reappearing. This time it was Aqua who had her hand raised towards the center as she looked at Terra, concerned. Terra had a calm but clearly uncomfortable look on his face.

"Do we need to stop to let yo-." Aqua said before getting cut off with an icy glare from Terra.

"I'm a big boy, Aqua. I can face it. If anything this'll be good for me." Terra said as Aqua gave an understanding nod.

"Alright. But if you need to take a break, just say the word." Aqua said before signaling to resume the story. The scene then shifted to Eraqus as he caught up to Lillian in one of the hallways.

"So…Master Lillian, eh?" Eraqus asked her as she smiled slightly.

"I know. It's what we've trained all our lives for. And to think it'll finally come to pass." Lillian said as Eraqus smiled, the two stopping in a window lined hallway.

"And then after that, it's just you and me…together." Eraqus said as Lillian smiled warmly at the thought.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Eraqus merely laughed albeit a little nervously.

"Are these second thoughts or…" Eraqus said but Lillian shook her head.

"It's that vision again." She said as she stepped away, a look of uncertainty on her face. Eraqus understood what she meant and seemed worried.

"It's that vision of the spark, right?" Eraqus asked as Lillian gave a nod.

"Every night, it's the same dream. I find myself standing on my boat in the middle of the foggy sea. I look around until I see this small spark of light floating in the sky, piercing through the fog. At first I thought it was a star but it moves. It floats down towards the horizon and I begin to follow it across the water, until the fog starts to part. But the vision ends before it can reveal anything significant." Lillian explained as Eraqus sighed slightly.

"I've never been one to doubt your visions before, Lillian, but…that vision just makes no sense." Eraqus said. Lillian turned towards him with a worried look on her face.

"It doesn't to me either. But you know as well as I do that whenever I get these visions, there's always a meaning to them. A purpose. It's also exceedingly rare for the Foretellers themselves to be in a vision like this." Lillian said. Eraqus shrugged a little.

"Okay, so then once we're Masters and married, we can go hunting for this mystery. You yourself have also said that Foretellers rarely ever see people they know personally in their visions unless it's important. And you've not had any visions of me so…" Eraqus said as Lillian smiled, giving him a nod.

"I hope then that we can seek the answers together." Lillian said as Eraqus chuckled, putting an arm around her as they continued down the hall.

"Tell me again about the vision you had of Master Yen Sid. The one where he becomes a fuddy old man." Eraqus chuckled as Lillian laughed.

"Eraqus, you know I love you. I want nothing more than to be your wife. But we can't stop dodging the possibility, albeit slim, that our destiny might not be together." Lillian said as Eraqus looked around.

"I don't have any plans than to be beside you for when I become Master." Eraqus said as Lillian smiled, allowing him to put his arms around her waist.

"What about kids? Any plans about them?" she asked as Eraqus smiled.

"Definitely. One, two…possibly three." He replied. Lillian smiled at his answer, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Three's a good number. Any preferences?" she asked.

"Not really. Sons, daughters…I'm not partial to either one." Eraqus said as Lillian ran her hand along his left arm.

"Thank you for being so patient with me, Eraqus. It means a lot to me." She said.

"I'm not interested in that, Lillian. You mean more to me than that." He said as Lillian stepped back slightly, smiling at him.

"I know, and that's meant a lot to me." She said.

"Come on. Let's go rig Xehanort's room." Eraqus said as Lillian's smile darkened a little.

"Ah yes, let's see, what traps haven't we laid in there yet?" she asked as Eraqus offered her his arm.

"Let's take a quick look to see what possibilities await us." Eraqus said before Lillian started snickering.

"I think I've got the perfect prank in mind." She said before whispering it into his ear. Eraqus smirked at this.

"My dear, you are devious." He said as she smiled and lightly curtsied.

"Only when it counts, I should hope." She said as they continued arm and arm down the hall. The Castle then faded away, the chapter having come to an end. Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Axel were still seated in their previous positions.

"So that was your old Master, eh?" Axel asked.

"Master Eraqus, yes. Although he's a lot younger here." Aqua commented.

"I vaguely remember seeing him when he was that young." Terra added.

"Me too. He said our training began not long after he became a Master." Aqua said as Ven pulled his legs up so he was sitting Indian-style in his seat.

"Does this mean we might get to see the two of you as kids?" Ven asked as Aqua sat back in thought.

"It's entirely possible." Aqua said.

"I suppose we better move to the next chapter then. See what happens." Terra said as Aqua gave a nod.

"Alright, but if you need a break, just say it. I get the feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of Xehanort in this." Aqua said worriedly.

"I'll be fine. Better to face the memory head on than run from it all the time. I don't have many memories of his so this might also help us to understand him better." Terra replied as Aqua gave a nod.

"Couldn't we, you know, skip to the end? I mean we already know what happened to the old coot." Axel said as Ven got up, walking towards the book.

"He's right. Maybe what we're looking for is at the end of the story." Ven said as he picked up the book, flipping to the back but frowning.

"Huh? What's this?" Ven asked, confused. Aqua then got up and approached, looking at the book.

"I was afraid of this." Aqua said as she flipped through the pages. All of the words were a strange illegible script. Flipping back and forth between two pages caused the letters to scramble again in new configurations and sequences.

"What is it, Aqua?" Terra asked as Aqua flipped to the front, looking at the second chapter and giving a nod before closing the book and putting back on the Arcana Librium.

"Master Lillian did enchant her Tome to some extent. She put a sequential secret script spell on it." She said.

"Translation for those whose magic knowledge is exclusive to fire spells?" Axel asked.

"Secret Script is a spell that can be placed on books so that only certain people can read them. Many Keyblade Masters do this to make sure that Apprentices can't read their Tomes and cheat. Those who aren't meant to read it or are not ready to, only see a bunch of jumbled letters or symbols while those meant to or ready to read it actually see the original writing. It's to discourage shoulder surfing. In this case, since we started at the beginning, the book encrypted itself from beginning to end automatically and then gradually decrypts itself as we move through it." Aqua explained.

"So in other words we'll have to read the whole thing just to find out the butler did it." Axel said, mildly deflated.

"Master Lillian must want us to know what happened. We're just getting started so let's keep going." Terra said as Aqua and Ven both sat back down.

"Alright. In that case, we'll continue and see what message Master Lillian is trying to tell us." She said, raising her hand towards the book. The library around them then grew dark, Lillian's older self, reappearing at her table. Her expressions indicated a dark mood.

"_If there was one person in this tale to be wary of, it was __him__. I don't need my powers to revisit that day. I'll never forget it. The day our former classmate arrived to witness our Mark of Mastery Exam. We sometimes called him 'X' but…now I cannot think of that name with sadness and grief. He was our friend, our trusted classmate and senior. I could not see his future then, but seeing his past now and knowing his present…I cannot help but feel that we knew him not at all. And when I think of what he's taken away from me…from us…" _Lillian's narrative said before she paused, looking over her shoulder at something briefly before smiling sadly and then returning her attention to the Tome.

"…_I speak, of course, of him. One who would, in time, make the worlds tremble…"_

"…_our old classmate…Master Xehanort."_

* * *

**End Chapter 2**

**Please R&R**

My ideal voice actress for the younger Lillian would be Haylee Atwell, best known for playing Agent Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Young Eraqus I imagine being voiced by Matt Lanter who is known for voicing Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series. I chose Matt as a sort of homage to the fact that Mark Hamill, who voiced Eraqus in Birth by Sleep, also played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films. Lanter's Anakin though is perfect for the younger Eraqus.

I have a voice selected for Young Xehanort that similarly homages his original voice actor (the late Leonard Nimoy). In this case I went with Zachary Quinto as both he and Nimoy have played Spock in Star Trek.

The young Talw Yen Sid, I imagine being voiced by Cam Clarke who in this case voices Medivh the Last Guardian in the Warcraft universe. Specifically I'm referring to his portrayal of the younger Medivh seen in the Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Expansion – One Night in Karazahn, which the younger Yen Sid is based off of. This version of Yen Sid, along with the castle Disneylahn, first appeared in my RKH short-story Party of the Centuries. And yes, the name Talw Yen Sid is an anagram of Walt Disney.

I also want to state that I've been mulling over the concept of Character Themes or Motifs. In Lillian's case, I think the most appropriate for her would be the main theme from the game Frostpunk. It has an appropriately sad yet urgent string sound to it. There's also the sound of a ticking clock at certain intervals which can allude to her ability to see through time.

And as with my previous RKH entries, I've decided to assign an opening theme to this series as if it were an anime. The theme song for this story is Again by YUI. This was the theme for the first opening of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

_**IMPORTANT REQUEST: **_Please refrain from posting ANY Kingdom Hearts III spoilers in your reviews or any personal messages.


	3. Master Xehanort

As the story continued, the new scene before them was the exterior of the great Castle of Disneylahn.

The castle sat upon an ocean of clear blue waters, large arched stone bridges connecting the castle's north and south ends while a large portcullis gate in the center of the castle allowed for passage beneath it. If one listened closely, one could hear what sounded like a whistle in the distance and could see a train rolling past on a round green hill at the castle's south end. The castle itself was bathed in the first rays of morning sunlight as the sun rose behind the castle to the East. Another green hill sat on the north shore of the castle (A/N: It's a slightly modified version of the Walt Disney Pictures logo).

Walking towards the castle was an unusually dark looking Figure wore a white and black coat with a red inner lining, worn over a white shirt with two thin black belts, as well as white gloves and calf-high black boots. On its chest over a pair of crisscrossing black suspenders, was a silver colored Mark of Mastery insignia. The figure also had a hood up over their head, a hood that could be easily hidden within the collar of the coat he wore. The figure was crossing the bridge towards the castle but suddenly stopped.

After a moment's silence, the figure calmly glanced over their shoulder in time for Eraqus to take a swing at him with a wooden practice sword shaped like a single-edged straight blade. The figure calmly leaned back, the attack narrowly dodging them by inches, Eraqus grinning at them as he flew past. The figure turned towards Eraqus as the young apprentice landed ahead of him.

"Still got your moves eh?" Eraqus asked before launching himself towards the figure again but was surprised when the figure calmly raised its hand and flicked its wrist slightly.

"Zero-Graviga." The figure said with a man's voice. Eraqus was suddenly launched into the air from the spell but Eraqus grinned.

"Bar-Gravity!" he yelled out, briefly glowing with a purple aura before dropping back to the ground only for a cage of flames to erupt around him and gradually die down. Eraqus was stood stunned by the move. The figure started to laugh in amusement, clapping a little.

"Eraqus, you never have quite learned how to defeat m-." the figure said before another wooden sword was pressed to his neck from behind.

"Maybe not in a one on one fight." Lillian said with a smile. The figure chuckled again and reached for his hood. He pulled back the hood to reveal a head of backswept spiked white hair with four bangs framing his face. His skin was a notable tan and his eyes were an unusual shade of yellow.

"Lillian, I see you're still hanging out with this loser." Xehanort said with a warm smile. Lillian removed the sword and stepped out from around him towards Eraqus who had his sword resting on his shoulder.

"It comes with being engaged to the man." Lillian said as Xehanort smiled and put his hands behind his back.

"I would hope so. I apologize for my tardiness in wishing the two of you congratulations. I had received the news but I've been busy as of late." Xehanort said but Eraqus and Lillian gave dismissive gestures.

"Don't worry about that. We understand." Lillian said.

"We're just glad you made it." Eraqus added.

"And miss your exams? Light forbid." Xehanort said as he started to continue the walk towards the castle.

"So what've you been up to since becoming Master?" Eraqus asked as he and Lillian started walking on either side of their senior classmate.

"Hmm…well, aside from checking on a few worlds here and there, I've mostly been researching the history of the Keyblade War, visiting various ruins and landmarks of interest, searching for clues to explain what happened." Xehanort explained.

"Anything interesting?" Lillian asked.

"Not much, I'm afraid. The Masters of Old have been thorough in scrubbing history of any record of the War short of a few vague passages and verses. I've visited a few worlds of interest. The great library in the Land of Departure, the Keyblade Graveyard, the old temple in Sublime City and the Palace of Eternity in the Distant Worlds…few of them present anything useful to my research." Xehanort said as they entered into the castle via a gate that had been hidden by magic to appear as an ordinary wall.

"Why the interest in the War?" Eraqus asked.

"Because I wish to know what caused it. I'm not satisfied with a few vague verses and a watered down story. What caused it? That is the question that fuels my research." Xehanort pondered, losing himself briefly in thought before smiling at his friends.

"But enough about me. This is your moment, not mine. I assume the two of you are well prepared for your test tomorrow?" Xehanort said as they passed through one of the many halls of the castle, making their way towards one of the larger rooms in the castle.

"Absolutely." Eraqus replied with a smile.

"We've been training all our lives for this moment." Lillian added.

"Let me tell you something that I'm sure the Master would agree with. You may think you're training for this moment but in truth, your true tests are well beyond whatever awaits you tomorrow." Xehanort said.

"Yeah? Like what?" Eraqus asked but Xehanort merely chuckled.

"Ah, but that would imply that I knew the answer. I'm not even sure that even Master Yen Sid has faced a true test." Xehanort said as they entered a large regal throne room with a trio of thrones. The throne room was still decorated from parties and celebrations long since passed. Faded streamers and tattered bunting of different sizes, shapes, and colors remained hung from the rafters and railings of an upper level. A double staircase behind the thrones led up to a balcony that overlooked the room itself while also opening out into a balcony overlooking the courtyard outside, a large set of glass windows reaching towards the ceiling and a similarly glass set of double doors sat as the only barrier between the throne room and the courtyard.

"He wouldn't be a Master if he hadn't though." Eraqus argued.

"Fair point. Probably would explain why he abandoned his allegedly carefree days." Xehanort said.

"Not entirely."

The trio spun around in alarm to see the wizened Master standing behind them with a grin on his face and his hands behind his back.

"Master! Worlds above, don't scare us like that!" Lillian yelped as Yen Sid chuckled.

"A little scare is good now and then. Besides they're fun." Yen Sid said before looking at Xehanort who smiled and gave a courteous bow.

"Master." He greeted.

"Xehanort. I'm glad you could join us. I'm sure you were expecting a larger welcome but I'm saving the fireworks for when Millicent arrives." Yen Sid said as he started walking towards the thrones.

"Oh~h, my disappointment is great, Master." Xehanort said dryly but with a smile.

"Wait, Master Millicent is coming then?" Eraqus asked, Lillian now picking up on Yen Sid's earlier comment.

"You've heard from her then?" she asked as Yen Sid sat down in the center throne.

"No I haven't, which is beginning to concern me. I'd understand the difficulty in reaching Master Ory considering his wanderlust, but the fact that Millicent is so close to Disneylahn, it makes no sense to hear nothing from her." Yen Sid explained with a slightly worried frown.

"Perhaps if you didn't send letters that conjured fireworks when opened, Master." Xehanort remarked with a coy smile, earning a similarly coy smile from Yen Sid.

"Not all of them set off fireworks. I've sent normal letters as well to her and knowing her skill, she would've known they were safe to open. The fact that she hasn't replied to her own sister's letters either are extra concerning." Yen Sid said as Xehanort looked at Lillian.

"That is concerning. You haven't had any kind of falling out have you?" Xehanort asked but Lillian shook her head.

"Not that I'm aware of. Our last few letters have been quite normal." Lillian replied, visibly concerned.

"Maybe we should go check on her. At least visit her mansion. See if she's home." Eraqus said as Yen Sid gave a nod.

"I heartily agree, and so I give the three of you leave to do so." Yen Sid said as the trio exchanged curious looks.

"The three of us, Master?" Eraqus asked.

"I thought the three of you might enjoy catching up." Yen Sid said with a warm smile. Xehanort however smirked with a suspicious eyebrow raised.

"Haven't finished booby trapping my room, have you?" he asked as Yen Sid gave a light shrug.

"Still need to run a few trip-wires and load the confetti cannons. Plus there's also Millicent's Welcome package to prep as well." Yen Sid replied casually. Xehanort laughed at this.

"Ah yes, of course. Why should I be the only one who suffers?" he asked dryly as he turned towards the door.

"We'll return as soon as we can, Master, and hopefully with my sister." Lillian said as she and Eraqus followed after Xehanort.

"Take your time, no hurry." Yen Sid called from his throne as the trio exited the throne room.

"Do you mind if we made a stop in the market on the way to my sister's? I need want to pick up a book from the bookshop." Lillian asked as Xehanort looked at her curiously as they walked through the hall.

"Is that really necessary?" he asked.

"The bookshop's on the way. Won't even have to detour." Eraqus said as Xehanort shrugged.

"Very well. What's the book if you don't mind my asking?" Xehanort asked as Lillian smiled a little.

"It's a blank book. I hope to make it my Master's Tome one day." Lillian said as Xehanort gives an impressed nod.

"Already planning ahead. Very good idea. And being a Foreteller, you may have an advantage, especially when it comes to time magic." Xehanort said as they exited the castle.

"I've already got a book for my Master's Tome. I've already started putting some spells and such into it." Eraqus said as Xehanort smiled at him.

"Somehow I don't think anyone will have much use for the spell that conjures bursts of confetti, Eraqus." Xehanort said but Eraqus merely smirked.

"Really?" He asked, passing Xehanort before the Keyblade Master suddenly fell flat on his face. Xehanort rolled onto his side, looking towards his feet to see a chain made of light wrapped around his ankles, the chain vanishing within seconds of his looking. Xehanort let out a sigh of light annoyance and looked towards Eraqus who was smirking towards him over his shoulder as he and Lillian kept on walking.

"What was that about confetti spells again?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort smirked and shook his head. He stood up and dusted himself off.

"One of these days, Eraqus. One of these days." Xehanort muttered as he hurried to catch up to them. Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Axel then reappeared as the world around them faded away, the chapter having ended.

"So that was Xehanort, huh?" Axel asked, all four of them with grim expressions upon seeing their old enemy once again, albeit in a younger form.

"In his youth, yeah. Not all that surprising he looked so dark back then too." Aqua commented.

"Wonder where he went wrong. Was he always bad and just fooling Master Eraqus back then or did he go wrong at some point?" Ven asked.

"I imagine Master Lillian will tell us. But the fact he was researching the Keyblade War even back then is worrisome." Terra said.

"At least he didn't succeed in starting another one…well, unless you count the Keyblade Rebels." Ven said as Axel sat back in his chair, looking at Aqua.

"So did Eraqus include those light chains in his book?" Axel asked as Aqua smiled and picked up the Book of Eraqus that was clasped to her side.

"He did. Light Chains are rather useful as weapons or as tools. I've not had much need to use them though." Aqua said, conjuring a length of chain made of light from the ground, the chain vanishing soon after.

"Terra, don't take this the wrong way, but Xehanort…he bares quite a resemblance to you." Ven said as Terra nodded with a grim expression.

"I know. But I don't think he chose to hijack my body because of looks alone. I was young enough and had enough darkness in my heart that I'd be of use to him." Terra said as Aqua looked towards him.

"Do you still have that feeling of déjà vu? Master Eraqus's memories helping you remember what happened?" Aqua asked but Terra shook his head.

"Nothing more than that feeling of déjà vu. I don't have Eraqus's memories per se. Just a sense of…empathy I suppose. Like I can tell what's left of him is aware of what's going on right now and I can sense his emotions, like that slight euphoria of remembering something that happened long ago. That 'ah I remember that' reaction." Terra explained.

"Shall we continue then? I'm kinda curious to see what happened all those years ago." Aqua said as Terra nodded.

"We all are." Terra replied.

"Shouldn't we try bringing Sora, Riku, and Kairi in on this?" Axel asked.

"I already tried connecting to Sora via D-Link. He didn't answer. Riku says to let him have some time to himself. He and Kairi aren't coming either. They're staying near Sora to provide him with moral support." Ven explained as Axel grimaced a little.

"It really burns me that there's nothing I can do to help him right now." Axel grumbled.

"I know. But for now we'll give him the space he needs." Aqua said with a sympathetic smile. Ven and Terra both gave nods of agreement.

"Alright then. So who's Millicent? I heard mention of her a few times in the past couple chapters." Axel said.

"Well aside from what we already know, she was Master Lillian's sister and a Keyblade Master herself. But I don't know if she was a Foreteller as well." Aqua said but Terra nodded.

"She was. I remember Master Lillian telling me so. I remember Master Lillian saying she had died. It's possible this story includes her fate." Terra said.

"What about the other guy? Master Ory?" Axel asked but the other three looked at each other in confusion.

"He's one I've never heard of. Master Eraqus never mentioned him." Ven said.

"Most I've heard of him are a couple of books here in the library. He wrote a couple short tomes describing his adventures. His last one was incomplete." Aqua explained.

"Guess we'll find out. So next chapter, or did we want to make some popcorn first?" Axel asked.

"I'm ready to move on." Ven said, Terra nodding in agreement.

"Alright then." Aqua said, raising her hand towards the Arcana Librium. Right away the world began to darken again, bringing the older Lillian back at her desk, writing into the tome.

"_Millicent, my beloved sister. She was older than me by a few years. We both were trained under Master Yen Sid, her and Master Ory being among his first students. Being a Foreteller like me, she had the ability to see the future. When we were young, we would sit and compare visions, most of them being small and trivial visions that seemed to have no bearing on the greater future…but thinking back, I wonder if perhaps those small visions, when put together, made a much larger and clearer picture." _Lillian narrated as she wrote into her tome, pausing and looking up towards the ceiling in thought, struggling to remember some of those small visions. She then sighed and returned her attention to the tome.

"_Alas, her visions have been lost, ironically, to time. Yet, some of them, I believe have come to pass. Although initially vague, she foresaw my own self-exile while I foresaw…" _Lillian narrated, pausing and grimacing at a painful memory before continuing.

"_Despite her being gone now, her presence still lingers upon the world she called home for so long. She left behind a single large relic that would and will be put to good use, of this I am sure."_ Lillian explained as the darkened world began to glow slightly with a soft orange light, reminiscent of either a sunset or a sunrise.

"_I will never forget the world she stood vigil over. It was close to Disneylahn. It was a quiet little town. Nothing eventful ever happened there that the locals noticed. And yet they don't realize how important it was. My sister's duty was to keep watch for a passage that would one day appear. As she called it, it was a Passage to Nothing and that Nothing would come from it. She always seemed to enjoy tormenting me with that little riddle. I know she meant something by it." _Lillian wrote, smiling and chuckling to herself a little at the memories. Axel and Terra however both sat forward in realization.

"Wait, she's not referring to-…" Axel said as Terra nodded.

"I think she is." He replied with a grim expression.

"Referring to what?" Ven asked but Terra motioned to wait as Lillian's narration continued.

"_Sometimes I wonder if I should ever visit this world one last time. But I know I dare not and probably never will. Not now, not since…but I digress. Eraqus, Xehanort, and I went there to find my sister, to find out what had made her fall silent for so long. We didn't realize that this sleepy little town would be the start of a chain of events that would make all the worlds ring!" _Lillian explained.

"_But it was in this world that our adventure began…"_

"…_the world known, as Twilight Town."_

* * *

**End Chapter 3**

**Please R&R**

_**IMPORTANT REQUEST: **_Please refrain from posting ANY Kingdom Hearts III spoilers in your reviews or any personal messages.


	4. Twilight Town

The Twilight Town of thirty one years ago didn't differ that much from the Twilight Town of today. The only big differences were that the network of tunnels weren't around and the large train station tower was in the early stages of the bells getting installed so the large arms meant to hold the bells were just being installed with the bells themselves to follow later.

Lillian walked ahead of the other two with a smile and a deep breath of satisfaction as she stepped up to the railing overlooking the town.

"So peaceful." She commented as Eraqus walked up and propped a foot up on the railing, leaning on his knee.

"You think this might be a good place to set down roots after the big day?" he asked as Lillian shrugged.

"Probably, but I doubt we'll end up being needed here." Lillian said as Xehanort stepped up with his arms crossed over his chest but smiling peacefully.

"This world intrigues me. It's almost perfectly balanced between the Light and the Darkness." Xehanort said as Lillian glanced towards him curiously.

"You suppose this is why my sister chose to protect this world?" she asked.

"Possibly. Did she say what her mission was?" Xehanort asked, looking towards her. Lillian looked back towards the city.

"Yes and No. She said she was watching for some kind of passage. That it was a Passage to Nothing and that Nothing would come from it." Lillian said as both men gave her strange looks. She looked at them both and shrugged.

"Her words, not mine." She added.

"Well this isn't getting us to her home. Lead the way Lil. You know it better than the two of us." Xehanort said as he and Eraqus started to follow her towards the path leading down into the city.

"This town seems too peaceful for me. Not much action." Eraqus said as Lillian chuckled and gave a slight nod as they reached the edge of Station Plaza. (Music Cue: Belle – Beauty and the Beast)

"It is. Nothing much happens here. But then my sister has always preferred some place like this. I've always wondered if there's more to it though." Lillian said as they started to walk down Market Street.

"_Little town,  
it's a quiet village.  
Every day,  
like the one before."_

Lillian sang as they walked past the unopened shops and storefronts.

"_Little town,  
full of little people,  
waking up to say…"_

She said before coming to a stop in the middle of the street. Suddenly the doors to the homes and businesses flew open as the townsfolk emerged saying…

"_Hello!"  
"Hello!"  
"Hello!" "Hello?" "Hello!"_

Lillian chuckled and shook her head as she motioned to the nearby baker.

"_There goes the baker with his tray, like always.  
The same old bread and rolls to sell.  
Every morning just the same,  
since the morning that she came,  
to this small provincial town!"_

"Good morning, Lil!" the baker greeted.

"Morning sir." Lillian greeted back.

"Where you off to?" he asked, half paying attention as he setup his stall.

"My sister's. Has she been around lately? She's not been-." Lillian said but the disinterested baker ignored her.

"That's nice. MARIE! The Baguettes! Hurry up!" the baker called into the bakery as Lillian shrugged and pressed on, Eraqus and Xehanort following after her. A small gaggle of housewives noticed her as the three passed, starting to whisper amongst each other…

"_Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question,  
dazed and distracted, can't you tell?  
She's a part of some weird, crowd,  
and her head's up on some cloud.  
No denying she's a funny girl that Lil."_

Lillian ignored them although Eraqus shot them an annoyed glare as they passed towards the Tram Commons, the townsfolk going about their business…

"_Hello!  
Good day.  
How is your family?  
Hello!  
Good day.  
How is your wife?  
I need six eggs!  
That's too expensive."_

Lillian then sighed as they reached the bookshop…

"_There must be more than this provincial life!"_

She sang as she walked into the bookshop, the bookshop owner recognizing her right away.

"Ah, Lil!" he greeted as Eraqus and Xehanort lingered near the door, waiting for her patiently.

"Good morning. Has my order come in?" she asked, the shopkeeper smiling and nodding, picking up a blue leather bound book with a golden latch on it.

"Right here, arrived yesterday." He said, placing it on the counter.

"Ah, excellent. I can't wait to start writing in it." She says as the shopkeep arched a curious eyebrow.

"What do you plan to put in it, do you mind my asking?" he asked as Lillian shrugged.

"Well I-…" she stammered as Eraqus stepped up and put an arm around her.

"Oh probably her adventures in far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, maybe even a prince in disguise!" Eraqus said, waggling an eyebrow towards her with a grin, causing her to giggle as she reached for her pocket to get her munny purse.

"Ah-ah! I heard you're getting married soon so consider this a wedding gift from me to one of my most loyal customers." He said as Lillian blinked in surprise.

"Oh but sir!" she said, about to argue but the shopkeeper would have none of it.

"I insist!" he replied as Lillian smiled, holding the book to her chest.

"Why thank you, thank you very much." She said as they headed out, Xehanort following them with an amused smile at the couple's antics. Lillian clipped the book to her belt as they walked, the townsfolk noticing her again as they emerged from the shop, whispering amongst themselves again…

"_Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar,  
I wonder if she's feeling well.  
With a dreamy far-off look.  
And her nose stuck in a book.  
What a puzzle to the rest of us is Lil."_

As they stepped into the Tram Commons, Lillian suddenly froze, her eyes aglow with a soft light in the greens of her eyes as a vision came to her. She looked towards the candy shop with a grin.

"_Oh, isn't this amazing?  
It's my favorite part because, you'll see…"_

She pointed to the candy shop owner, a beautiful young woman sweeping up the front of the stand…

"_Here's where she'll meet Prince Charming,  
but she won't discover that it's him 'til after three."_

Lillian sang, excited by the vision as her eyes returned to normal, and motioning up to the clock tower to show that it was only a little past Eight. Eraqus and Xehanort exchanged impressed expressions before following after her. A broken down tram had blocked the center of the commons with a large crowd, forcing them to detour into the sandlot. As they went, the townsfolks began talking amongst each other again…

"_Now it's no wonder that she's such a beauty,  
her looks have got no parallel.  
But behind that fair façade,  
I'm afraid she's rather odd.  
Very diff'rent from the rest of us.  
She's nothing like the rest of us,  
Yes, diff'rent from the rest of us is Lil!"_

Xehanort and Eraqus found themselves lingering slightly behind Lillian as she walked ahead. Xehanort couldn't help but notice Eraqus's expressions were a bit sour from the townsfolks' mutterings about his fiancée.

"Ignore them, Eraqus. They've no idea what kind of a woman she is." Xehanort said as Eraqus sighed.

"I know." He replied, a little perked up by Xehanort's compliment. They then heard a couple of voices calling out at them. They looked to see a couple of kids running up to Eraqus.

"Hey, it's Master Eraqus!" "You're the greatest struggle fighter in the whole world!" the kids said as Eraqus tried to play innocent. Xehanort however smirked towards him.

"Seems Lil isn't the only one who visits this place." He muttered as the kids continued excitedly fawning over Eraqus.

"No fighter alive stands a chance against you!" one of the kids added as Eraqus looked ahead and saw Lillian smirking back at them mischievously. She'd clearly sent them towards him to embarrass him.

"And no girl for that matter." He says as Xehanort grins and claps him on the back.

"It's true kids, and Eraqus has his sights set on that one!" Xehanort said, pointing towards Lillian who seemed startled.

"The weird girl?" "Eww." The kids groaned.

"She's the one, the lucky girl he's going to marry. The most beautiful girl in town. That makes her the best, and doesn't my friend deserve the best?" Xehanort asked with a coy grin of his own. Eraqus shifted his jaw, glaring at him while shaking his head.

"_I'm going to kill you for this one day, Xehanort." _Eraqus said via D-Link but Xehanort's smirk tightened...

"_Right from the moment when he met her, saw her,  
he said she's gorgeous and he fell.  
Here in town there's only she,  
who's beautiful as he,  
so he's making plans to woo and marry Lil."_

Xehanort sang as Eraqus powered ahead to join Lillian who was snorting with laughter at her fiancé's humiliation as they linked arms. Xehanort smirked coyly as he followed after them, passing several young women huddled together who noticed Xehanort and started fawning…

"_Look there he goes!  
Isn't he dreamy?  
It's him! It's X!  
Oh he's so cute!  
Be still my heart!  
I'm hardly breathing!  
He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute."_

This caused Xehanort to blink in mild alarm before scowling at the two ahead of him.

"What exactly have you been saying about me?" he asked. The two shot alarmed glances at him over their shoulders before powering ahead into the crowded Tram Commons.

"Oh no you don't!" he roared, hurrying after them into the crowd.

"_Hello!"  
"Pardon."  
"Good day."  
"May we?"  
"You call this bacon?"  
"What lovely grapes."  
"Some cheese."  
"Ten yards."  
"One pound."  
"'Scuse me."  
"I'll get the knife."  
"Please let me through."  
"This bread."  
"Those fish."  
"It's stale."  
"They smell."  
"Madame's mistaken."_

Lillian and Eraqus both laughed at their evading Xehanort as they reached an arched passage in the wall with a dirt path leading into the forest outside the Town.

"_There must be more than this provincial life!"_

Lillian sang before getting swept off her feet into Eraqus's arms as he held her bridal style.

"_Just watch, I'm going to make Lil my wife!"_

Eraqus sang out before the engaged couple shared a brief kiss as the townsfolk looked on…

"_Look there she goes a girl who's strange but special!  
A most peculiar mademoiselle!"_

The townsfolk sang as Xehanort caught up to them, Eraqus setting Lillian down onto her feet. Xehanort then motioned towards the dirt path, the two apprentices both laughing before linking arms, heading up the path as Xehanort smirked and shook his head, following after them.

"_It's a pity and a sin,  
she doesn't quite fit in,  
'cause she really is a funny girl!  
A beauty but a funny girl!  
She really is a funny girl!  
That Li~il!"_

The trio paused, looking back at the townsfolk as they quickly returned to their own business. The three looked at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing.

"Okay so it seems I might need to come back here someday to correct whatever salacious rumors the two of you have spread about me." Xehanort said as the couple both laughed, walking up the wooded path.

"Oh don't worry about it. We've not said a word about what we are. They just know us as a couple of weirdoes who visit every so often." Eraqus said.

"And as the sister of the strange woman who lives on the hill." Lillian added as Xehanort shrugged, following the two, a serious expression sweeping Xehanort's face.

"This whole world seems strange though. The balance between light and dark seems more pronounced here." Xehanort said as they started to approach the edge of the woods.

"It's always like this the closer we get to her home. She built it right at the epicenter of where the light and dark converge." Lillian said as they approached the gates to a regal looking mansion, surrounded by a stone wall. Years from now, the same mansion would be known to the locals as the "Old Mansion."

"Seems risky to me. Building your home atop a potential hotbed?" Xehanort asked.

"What better way to guard against it?" Eraqus asked. Xehanort gave a slight nod.

"Fair point." He muttered. Lillian then let out a slight yelp.

"Eyes stinging again?" Eraqus asked as Lillian rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah but this was pretty bad. The worst they've ever felt." She commented as Eraqus looked in her eyes but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Something wrong?" Xehanort asked.

"I'm not sure. I've had an occasional stinging in my eyes lately. But this was the worst that they've ever been so far." Lillian said as Xehanort looked towards the mansion with suspicion.

"Something to do with your Foreteller powers perhaps?" Xehanort asked.

"Possibly." Lillian replied.

"Maybe it's something Master Millicent can answer for us." Eraqus said as they looked towards the mansion. The gates were closed and locked but this didn't surprise them.

"Perhaps. Let's go see if she's home." Lillian said, summoning her Keyblade. Her Keyblade was similar to the Keyblade "Follow the Wind" except the anchor shape was more pronounced in the tooth and the pommel was shaped more like a stopwatch instead of a ship's wheel. The Keychain was shaped like an anchor. She proceeded to point it at the lock on the gate, firing a beam of green energy from the tip that proceeded to strike the lock, causing it to vanish, the gates swinging open for them. They then started to walk towards the mansion. The scene then began to fade away, the chapter completed.

"So that old mansion is where a Keyblade Master used to live? That's kinda surprising. I always wondered who lived there." Axel commented.

"And did you hear Master Lillian's explanation as to what Master Millicent's mission was? To watch for a Passage to Nothing, where Nothing would come. She was either looking for the passage to the World that Never Was or had already found it." Terra said, contemplating the former Master's mission.

"But was she there to find it? Did she find it? And if she found it, did she intend to guard it?" Aqua asked.

"Did the Masters know of Nobodies back then?" Ven asked.

"It's possible. They knew of the Heartless. They've been around for as long as can be remembered. They just never had as prominent a presence in the worlds as they have nowadays. Something we can thank Xehanort for." Aqua said as Axel sat back in his chair.

"Still kinda hard to believe that this was the original Superior. He seems like a decent guy. Wonder where he went wrong." Axel pondered aloud.

"I think we're about to find out." Aqua said as she started the next chapter. This time though, the world darkened but Lillian's older self didn't appear. Instead they were shown what looked like Eraqus, Lillian, and Xehanort walking through the darkness.

"_It seems we have some uninvited guests." _A woman's voice commented.

"_Lillian and Eraqus. And Xehanort as well." _Another woman's voice, one that was slightly older and with an accent.

"_Not to worry. Everything is proceeding exactly as planned."_ An older, man's voice said.

* * *

**End Chapter 4**

The song above was a modified version of "Belle" from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." I do not own the song.

I am hoping to shed some light on some of the unexplained mysteries of the Kingdom Hearts universe, or at least create my own explanations to them. In this case, it's the Old Mansion in Twilight Town. We'll see what other world mysteries will get explained.


	5. Master Millicent

Eraqus, Lillian, and Xehanort had just started for the doors to the mansion.

"Kinda surprised you're willing to drop in on Master Millicent, X. The two of you haven't really ever gotten along that well." Eraqus said as Xehanort shrugged.

"For reasons that escape me. I've been nothing but cordial with her. Only possible grievance I might have against her is her refusal to loan me a few old books for my research. She's never given me a proper reason as to why." He replied as they reached the door.

"Maybe we can investigate that another time. For now let's just-…" Eraqus said as Lillian touched the doorknob, only for the door to creak open slightly.

"The door's already open. Be on your guard. I don't like this." Lillian said as they all summoned their Keyblades. Eraqus had Mark of Mastery while Xehanort's Keyblade was a strange white and grey variant of the one he would wield some twenty years later. The three carefully walked through the door into the pristine mansion, looking around cautiously. As they entered, Eraqus heard a paper-like crunching sound beneath his feet. He looked down and saw a scattered pile of sealed envelopes on the floor beneath them.

"Look, Millicent's not even picked up her mail." He said, picking up a handful of envelopes. Some of them bore Yen Sid's seal, a depiction of the great castle of Disneylahn beneath a sky of stars and moons pressed into the blue wax. Others were red wax with Lillian's stylized letter L pressed into them.

"She's not even opened my letters." Lillian said as she picked up a few letters. Xehanort did the same, picking up one of Yen Sid's letters but paused when he noticed one of the corners was dogeared.

"Best not open this one. It was Master Yen Sid's birthday announcement letter." Xehanort said as both apprentices looked at him worriedly.

"But that was weeks ago." Eraqus said as Xehanort quietly pocketed the letter.

"I really don't like this." Lillian said as they entered the foyer of the mansion.

"Milly! Are you here?!" Lillian called into the mansion.

"Lilly?" a voice asked from the upper level. They looked and saw an older woman with her brown hair worn in a tight bun. She had green eyes and a fair complexion. She wore a pair of brown knee-length moccasins, long tan colored loose fitting trousers, and a white frilled shirt under a faded red vest with dark red edging. She wore a high collared red cloak with golden Mark of Mastery insignias on the lapels and a white choker with an anchor shaped broach around her neck. Her right forearm was encased within a black and green metal armguard. She looked down towards them from near the door to the library on the landing.

"Milly! You're alright! We were worried something might've happened." Lillian said, relieved to see her older sister was alright. Millicent smiled warmly at her as she started to descend the stairs.

"Worried? For what reason?" she asked. She spoke with a similar accent to Lillian's.

"Your lack of answered mail for starters." Eraqus said, holding up one of Lillian's unopened letters. Millicent smiled at Eraqus.

"Eraqus, it's good to see you." She greeted.

"Master." He greeted back with a polite nod.

"Milly, what's going on? You've not even opened any of the letters we've sent you. Are you alright?" Lillian asked as Millicent frowned a little.

"I've been engrossed in my research. I've…had some visions that have…they've been less than comforting." Millicent said as she produced a brown leather bound book from beneath her cloak, opening it and looking through it as she continued past them.

"I understand the importance of your visions, Milly, but there's some important news you've missed." Lillian said as Millicent continued to read from her book.

"Such as?" she asked, absently. Eraqus and Lillian exchanged worried looks. Xehanort quietly lingered with his hands behind his back near the doorway to the foyer.

"Milly…Eraqus and I are engaged to be wed." Lillian said, causing Millicent to pause and turn towards them with a startled look on her face, snapping the book shut.

"Are you? My dear sister I…I'm so proud of you." She said with a proud smile, quickly approaching her sister, embracing her lovingly. Lillian smiled and embraced her back, relaxing a little.

"When is the wedding?" Millicent asked finally as the two separated.

"We haven't set a date yet. It kinda hinged on two things. Your blessing and whether or not we pass our Mark of Mastery Exams tomorrow." Eraqus said as Millicent blinked in surprise.

"Mark of Mastery Exams…tomorrow? Master Yen Sid think's you're ready?" Millicent asked as Lillian and Eraqus both smiled and nodded.

"We were hoping you would be in attendance for the Exam." Xehanort said. When he spoke, Millicent's smile vanished and she snapped her head towards him.

"Master Xehanort." She greeted respectfully but coldly.

"Master Millicent." He greeted back with a polite smile, approaching with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I presume you are accompanying them to investigate my lack of contact." Millicent asked, holding the book under her arm and close to her.

"At Master Yen Sid's request, yes." He replied.

"It must be some kind of serious research if you've been so heavily lost in it that you forget to check your mail for weeks on end." Eraqus said as Millicent hid her book behind her cloak again.

"Very serious actually. Some of my visions have gained more clarity and what they have revealed are…most dire." She said, a look of visible concern on her face.

"What have the visions shown you, Milly?" Lillian asked as Millicent turned slowly towards them.

"Discord…Death…Darkness." She replied with a grim expression. This caused the three to look at her worriedly.

"What?" Lillian asked.

"I've seen what the future holds. I've seen war, conflict, betrayals. The very enemies our predecessors as Keyblade Wielders fought against, are set to return in the future…that is, unless actions are taken to prevent them." Millicent explained as she started to climb the stairs back to the second floor.

"Enemies? What enemies? What can we do to-AUGH!" Lillian yelped as she put her hands to her eyes.

"Lilly!" Eraqus exclaimed, hurrying to her side. Millicent glanced over her shoulder at her sister.

"Your eyes have been stinging, burning, lately. Correct? As have mine. It's to be expected if we are to prevent the future from unfolding as I've seen it." Millicent explained as Lillian looked up at her with a growing worried realization. Xehanort caught on and looked up at her suspiciously as well.

"Prevent? I thought the visions of Foretellers were vague but accurate. How does one prevent the future?" Xehanort asked, quietly fingering the letter from Yen Sid behind his back. Millicent stopped in the middle of the walkway so that she was overlooking the foyer from the center.

"By changing it." Another voice said from near the library. They looked to see a figure entering the room from the library. The figure was clad in a hooded black coat. The figure stared at them for a moment before starting to walk towards Millicent.

"Who are you?" Eraqus asked as they watched the figure approach to join Millicent.

"You can call me the Traveler. I am here to help Master Millicent in her quest to find what the cause of the dark future is." The figure said. He spoke with a deep voice and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Lillian winced a little as she looked at him.

"How do you plan to do that, though?" Eraqus asked. Millicent seemed reluctant to answer this question.

"It's not something an Apprentice should know, Eraqus. If you wish to protect the Worlds, you'll stay out of our way. I know what's best, Lilly. For you and the worlds." Millicent said with a serious glare. Lillian scowled at her older sister.

"What have you done, Milly?" Lillian asked.

"What she needed to." Another woman's voice echoed. Suddenly a strange cloud of golden sands started swirling around the three, wisps of black sand swirling amongst the gold before vanishing, leaving twelve strange creatures surrounding them. They were made of compacted golden sands with black veins of sand running across them. Their bodies resembled tall yet very thin Shadow Heartless in terms of shape but had glowing purple eyes and lacked antennas. On their chests were a glowing purple mark shaped like two triangles, one atop the other, resembling an hourglass. Eraqus, Lillian, and Xehanort's Keyblades were suddenly summoned to their hands, alerting the trio to an imminent danger in the creatures. They could even feel their Keyblades attempting to move their hands to strike them.

"What are these things?!" Eraqus asked as the three stood back to back. Before anyone could answer, swirling black sand appeared on the upper level next to Millicent, depositing a strange woman next to her. She wore a skin-tight red, long-sleeved, gown with a plunging neckline that exposed her neck, chest, stomach and abdomen, and only partially obscured her breasts. A black collar extended down the neckline to her waist, the collar resting over her shoulders and covering the junction of a pair of black feathered wings. The dress had a long train that seemed torn and frayed. The woman's face and body were covered in colorful tattoos, a necklace around her neck, and her long silver hair worn up like a pair of long horns, leaving only a pair of long silver bangs to frame her face. Her hands were purple and fingers long and sharp talons while her feet were similarly pointed like talons only covered in a layer of dirt from walking around barefoot. Lillian looked up at her sister in confusion.

"Why are you doing this, Milly?!" she asked.

"This is for the good of the worlds, Lilly! I can't have you report back to Master Yen Sid about this! The Displaced won't harm you, only stop you! You'll be free once my mission is complete!" Millicent said with a remorseful expression.

"Whatever you're planning, we'll stop you!" Eraqus said.

"Enough talk. Time doesn't wait, Millicent. It's time we began our search for the Tempest." The strange woman said.

"Not so fast, you forgot something Millicent!" Xehanort yelled, earning a curious glare from Millicent.

"Such as?" she asked with a tone of contempt. He quickly raised the dogeared envelope from Yen Sid, his thumb under the flap.

"Master Yen Sid's birthday!" he replied, breaking the seal with his thumb, throwing it to the ground in front of him and shielding himself. The envelope suddenly exploded on impact in a burst of fireworks, forcing Millicent, the Traveler, and the strange woman to recoil, shielding themselves from the fireworks display going off inside the foyer, techno music blaring from the envelope by magic. A magically projected hologram of Yen Sid then appeared in the air above the trio, the hologram dancing to the music.

"_It's ma birthda~ay!" _the hologram declared in a falsetto sing-song voice.

"Lillian!" Eraqus exclaimed, Lillian thrusting her Keyblade towards the creatures in front of her.

"Stopza!" she yelled, her Keyblade flashing with a grey light and the image of a rapidly spinning clock appearing at the tip and slowing to stop before vanishing but the creatures didn't stop moving.

"No good!" Lillian yelped. One of the creatures suddenly exploded into a shower of gold and black sands. Lillian looked to see the tip of Eraqus's Keyblade was smoldering.

"Fire Magic works fine on them!" Eraqus exclaimed. Right away the trio launched their attack, sending off a flurry of magic attacks at the creatures. Xehanort spun out of the way of one, slashing it in the back with his Keyblade as he did, the creature exploding into sand almost instantly after being struck by the Keyblade. Xehanort noticed this and spun towards the nearest creature, slicing it in half just as it leapt at him. In less than a few seconds, over half of the creatures had been slain.

"They're not very strong!" Lillian exclaimed as she ran through two of the creatures at once with her Keyblade.

"Good! Quicker we get through them the sooner we can-…" Eraqus said, cutting down the last creature and turning towards the upper level to see that Millicent and her two confederates had vanished.

"…-(sigh) go after them." Eraqus grumbled as Xehanort quickly threw a fireball at Yen Sid's envelope, incinerating it and stopping the fireworks, the hologram, and the music.

"What were those things?" Xehanort asked.

"You're the Master, you tell us." Eraqus said, their Keyblades vanishing.

"I've never seen them before. I'm just as clueless as you are." Xehanort replied as Lillian looked around.

"I'm more worried about what that other woman said. Something about finding some kind of Tempest?" she asked as Xehanort shrugged again.

"I've not heard of that either. Perhaps Master Yen Sid knows what it is." Xehanort said as Eraqus smirked towards him.

"I'm shocked you would recommend that." He chuckled, earning a glare from the senior Keyblade wielder.

"I know enough to seek wiser council, Eraqus." Xehanort said, the two men glaring at each other before Lillian quickly stepped in.

"Hold it! Now isn't the time for one of your arguments! We need to get back to Disneylahn and report back to the Master and fast!" Lillian said as the two men backed down.

"Right, let's go." Eraqus said as the three turned and ran for the doors.

…

The trio had soon made it back to Station Plaza, having not run into any more of the strange creatures. Xehanort running ahead of them.

"I'll summon the train! See you two inside!" he called back as the two slowed down.

"Right! We're right behind you!" Eraqus called as he slowed to a stop, while Lillian slowed to a walk towards the railing looking towards where the mansion's steeple could be seen over the trees in the distance.

"Milly…what have you done?" Lillian asked as Eraqus stepped up next to her.

"We'll find out. And who knows, maybe this is something good she's doing." Eraqus said but Lillian shook her head.

"I don't get that feeling, Eraqus. I'm afraid it's much more serious than that. Those creatures back there, and the two people with her…just looking at them stung my eyes. And worse, those things were immune to Time Magic." Lillian said as Eraqus put an arm around her, comforting her.

"Maybe Master Yen Sid will have some answers for us." Eraqus said.

"I hope so, but I have a bad feeling about this. She explicitly said she didn't want us reporting her to Master Yen Sid…could she have gone rogue?" Lillian asked as Eraqus scratched the back of his neck in thought.

"I dunno. It makes no sense. Why stoop to extreme levels if you're fighting to prevent a dark future from occurring? Why attack us or not want Master Yen Sid involved?" Eraqus asked.

"Perhaps it isn't about the goal, but the method used to achieve it." A voice behind them said. They both turned to see an unfamiliar man standing behind them. He wore a black tweed jacket and trousers, black socks, loafers, and black leather gloves. Even the shirt he wore beneath his jacket was black and his jacket had a hood attached to it instead of a collar. The buttons were silver and round with an insignia on them that the two couldn't make out. The man himself had a lanky build and looked to be in his early thirties with frizzy dirty-blonde hair. He was also clutching something made of silver or platinum in his left hand. He was staring straight at them.

"Who are you?" Eraqus asked. The man merely smiled widely with excitement.

"Eraqus and Lillian, it is an honor to meet the two of you. Stuff of legends you two are." The man greeted as Eraqus and Lillian both smiled a little in amusement. He spoke with a Scottish accent.

"Well, thanks, but that doesn't answer who you are." Eraqus said as the man let the object in his hand dangle down on a length of silver chain, the man starting to spin it casually. The object appeared to be a pocket watch.

"Ah, fair question. I guess you could say I'm something of a policeman. Can't say much more than that. Rules of the trade I'm afraid." The man said.

"Are we in trouble or anything?" Lillian asked, wincing a little as she looked at him.

"You two? Nah. As far as I'm concerned, you're both fine. But I will say that I think we're on a similar path. You see, I'm hunting a rather dangerous individual who escaped to this area. I followed her back here but she seems to have given me the slip." The man explained as the two looked at each other.

"Millicent?" Eraqus asked but the man shook his head.

"No-no, you'd know this person. She'd stick out like a sore thumb in almost any crowd." The man replied, catching his watch and opening it, looking at the time.

"Whoops, I best be off. Pleasure meeting you both, if I'm right, we'll meet again. Ta!" The man said, pocketing his watch and turning to leave.

"Wait, was the person you're looking for called the Traveler?" Eraqus asked. The man paused mid-step and slowly turned towards them, a look of confusion on his face.

"What?" he asked.

"Is the person you're looking for called the Traveler? Wears a black coat? Summons strange golden monsters with purple hourglasses on their bellies?" Lillian asked as the man turned completely back towards them with a look of dire concern on his face.

"Gold monsters? Purple hourglasses? You're sure?" he asked.

"Yeah we just fought about twelve of them." Eraqus replied. The man didn't take his eyes off them as he pulled his pocket watch back out, opened it, looked at the time, and then up at the clock tower for a moment.

"You're not married yet are you?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the clock tower as he pocketed his watch again.

"No not ye-…hey, how'd you know we're engaged?" Eraqus asked as the man looked at them with a small smile.

"Looks like we'll definitely be meeting again, sooner than you think." The man said, turning to leave again.

"Wait, who are you! You've never given us a name!" Lillian said as the man smiled at them over his shoulder, the air in front of him starting to warp and distort before a shimmering doorway made of light appeared in front of him.

"Tell Master Talw, that Professor Co, enjoyed the Party of the Centuries! That'll tell him all he'll need to know!" the man replied before turning back towards the door and running through it, the door slamming shut and vanishing, the man disappearing with it. Eraqus quickly stepped over towards where the man had disappeared, waving his hand around for the door but found nothing.

"What was that guy?" he asked aloud, turning back towards Lillian who was looking up at the clock tower.

"I have a suspicion that he's not from around here, and neither are those creatures or Milly's new confederates." Lillian said, still looking up at the tower.

"Obviously. But what world do you think they're from?" Eraqus asked but Lillian shook her head.

"No, not from where…from when." Lillian said as Eraqus looked at her curiously for a moment before looking up at the clock tower. That's when he saw what she did. The clock was frozen in place, with a strange gold and purple twinkling to it. They then heard Xehanort calling to them from the entryway to the station.

"Come on you two, the train's here!" Xehanort called, the two quickly hurrying after him.

* * *

**End Chapter 5**

I own Master Millicent. First off, no she's not Maleficent. Nor will she become her. Just getting that out of the way right now. If you want a visual reference to go by for Millicent, look up Katherine Proudmoore from the World of Warcraft expansion: Battle for Azeroth. I used her as a visual basis for Millicent, only younger (fewer wrinkles) and with brown hair. For voice actor, my choice for Millicent would be Jennifer Saunders, most easily recognized as the voice of the Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2.

Professor Co you may recognize from the side-story, Party of the Centuries. He's basically David Tennant's portrayal of the Tenth Doctor from Doctor Who only with Tennant's native Scottish accent, and a few differences between him and the Doctor. Hopefully these differences will become apparent as the story progresses.

The Traveler is not a self-insert of me btw. Just wanted that stated considering my previous username was The Star Tours Traveler.

And yeah the exploding letter with fireworks, techno music, and the "It's ma birthda~ay" is a reference to Thor Ragnarok's Grandmaster. I thought it might make sense given the younger Yen Sid's wilder side.


	6. The Mission

Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Axel all sat in the library, the previous chapter having just ended.

"What were those strange creatures?" Ven asked curiously.

"No idea but I get the feeling that they're similar to Heartless, Nobodies, or Unversed. I imagine Master Lillian will have the answers for us." Aqua replied.

"Still getting that déjà vu feeling, Superior?" Axel asked, earning a nod from Terra.

"Yeah. Master Eraqus still remembers a lot of this." He replied.

"I think I recognized that man in the coat. The Professor. I feel like I've seen him somewhere before. And he mentioned the Party of the Centuries…but how-…" Aqua said, getting lost in thought.

"That sounds familiar too. I've got vague memories of getting slapped by a disco chick." Axel reminisced with a coy smirk.

"Sounds about right for you Axel." Ven chuckled.

"You know it buddy." Axel commented.

"Let's move on then. Let's see if we'll get some answers here." Aqua said as she raised her hand towards the Arcana Librium, causing the world to darken once again. The world that appeared in its place was the throne room of Disneylahn Castle.

"Master? Master Yen Sid are you here?!" Lillian called as she, Eraqus, and Xehanort entered.

"He's probably still rigging my room." Xehanort mumbled before Eraqus froze mid-step.

"Oh-no." Eraqus muttered, both of them looking at him.

"Oh-no?" Lillian asked, noticing Eraqus cringing a little and pointing down at his feet. They both looked down to see a small magic circle glowing under his foot. Xehanort immediately face palmed.

"Oh no." he grumbled as Eraqus took his foot off the circle. Right away the circle transformed into a bright light, the entire Throne Room suddenly becoming adorned in festive decorations, flashing lights, and roving spotlights as music started playing (Music Cue: Perfect World – The Emperor's New Groove). Oswald suddenly appeared from behind the thrones, wearing sunglasses and holding a wireless microphone, a magic collar around his neck. Eraqus and Lillian simply shrugged and waited patiently while Xehanort rubbed his forehead as Oswald started singing with an older man's voice…

"_There are wizards and con-jur-ators!  
Magical manipulators!  
There are spellswords with the intellects of fleas!  
There are Mages 'n' petty tyrants,  
who are so lacking in refinements!  
They'd be better suited swinging from the trees!_"

"We've no time for this." Xehanort mumbled but Lillian placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Let him have it. He rarely gets a fresh audience." Lillian said sympathetically as Oswald continued…

"_He was born and raised to rule!  
No one has ever been this cool,  
in a thousand years of Keyblade-ocricy!  
An enigma and a mystery,  
in Prest-i-digital History!  
The quintessence of perfection that is he!"_

"Master, enough!" Xehanort groaned but to no avail as Oswald started dancing and bouncing his way up the stairs towards the balcony behind the thrones, singing…

"_He's the sovereign lord of education!  
He's the hippest dude in creation!  
He's a hep cat in the Sorcerer's new clothes!  
Years of such selective teaching,  
generations have been leading,  
to this miracle of life that we all know!"_

Oswald then spun towards them with a smile.

"WHAT'S HIS NAME?!"

Suddenly the spotlights shone on the balcony just Yen Sid appeared in a burst of blue smoke, a burst of fireworks appearing behind him as he wore a pair of sunglasses and a glitter covered variant of his usual clothes, dancing his way down the stairs with a grin as a sourceless chorus sang out…

Chorus:_ "Yen Sid! (Yen Sid!)"  
_Oswald:_ "That's his name!"  
_Chorus:_ "Yen Sid!"  
_Oswald: _"He's the King of the World!"  
_Chorus: _"Yen Sid! (Yen Sid!)"  
_Oswald: _"Is he hip or what?!"  
_Chorus: _"Yen Si~id!"_

Yen Sid finally danced up to them but paused and looked around confused.

"Whoa-whoa-wait! Stop the music!" he yelled, the music and lights all freezing in place. Oswald seemed confused. Yen Sid then removed his sunglasses, looking at his two apprentices with disappointment.

"Where's Millicent? I had this whole thing set up just for her." He said as Lillian stepped forward.

"Master, she's not with us. Something's gone wrong, I don't know where she's gone." Lillian said as Talw sighed heavily in disappointment.

"Well that was a wasted effort on my part." He grumbled, giving a snap of his fingers. In a flash, the throne room reverted to the anti-bellum look, the lights vanished, his clothes reverted to normal, his sunglasses vanished, and Oswald's sunglasses and microphone vanished too. Only the collar around Oswald's neck remained but he quietly removed it in disappointment.

"Did I do okay though, Master?" Oswald asked in his normal voice. Yen Sid smiled at him and grinned, winking at him while clicking his tongue.

"My man." He replied, Oswald smiling excitedly.

"Yes!" he cheered. Yen Sid then turned back to the three.

"Okay, from the top. What happened? Was Millicent not home?" he asked.

"Oh she was home alright. But so were a pair of strange people. A man in a black coat and a strange woman with tattoos and a pair of black wings." Xehanort said as Yen Sid arched a curious eyebrow.

"Well Milly's always enjoyed weird company. I mean she was my Apprentice after all." Yen Sid chuckled.

"Not like this. She summoned strange monsters to attack us." Eraqus said as Lillian looked at him worriedly.

"I don't think she had any malice behind it. She said they would stop us, not harm us." She said but Xehanort glared at her.

"The fact she didn't want us to return to Master Yen Sid about this shows clear malicious intent to whatever she has planned." Xehanort said before Yen Sid let out a shrill whistle.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa, roll it back just a little bit. You say she sent strange monsters after you? Were they…Heartless?" he asked hesitantly.

"No." Eraqus replied.

"Good that's a bullet dodged. So describe them for me. Were they white wriggly creatures of some kind?" Yen Sid asked.

"No but they were gold with purple eyes." Lillian replied, causing Yen Sid to pause with a serious expression on his face.

"Gold body? Purple eyes?" he asked, the three nodding in unison. He then raised his fist out towards them.

"Did they have this symbol on their bodies somewhere?" he asked before opening his hand, causing a glowing purple pair of triangles reminiscent of the hourglass symbol from the creatures to appear floating in the air above his palm.

"Yes, that exactly!" Lillian exclaimed as Yen Sid closed his hand and took a deep breath.

"Let me guess, they were immune to Time Magic." He said as the three looked at each other.

"Master, you know what these things are, don't you?" Eraqus asked as Yen Sid walked towards the thrones.

"They're called the Displaced. They're…hard to explain." Yen Sid said as he sat down in the center throne, rubbing his forehead in thought.

"I remember Millicent mentioning that they would've stopped us and not harm us." Xehanort said as they approached the throne.

"No they'd have harmed you, just not very quickly." Yen Sid said as he crossed his legs, resting his right calf on his left knee.

"What do you mean?" Lillian asked.

"We'll come back to that. What happened at Milly's Manor?" Yen Sid asked, curiously.

"Well, we arrived, found she hadn't opened her mail for weeks, and when we called for her she appeared. She said she's been engrossed in her research all this time." Lillian explained as Yen Sid nodded understandingly.

"Nothing unusual there, go on." He said, rubbing his chin in thought.

"She mentioned she had a bad vision of the future and that she was going to try and change the future. The way she said it though…I'm afraid she might be planning something really dangerous." Lillian explained.

"Was that when the Displaced appeared?" Yen Sid asked.

"After the strange guy in the coat appeared, yes." Xehanort replied.

"After the Displaced appeared, the strange woman appeared as well. They were looking for something it seemed. Something called the Tempest?" Eraqus said as Yen Sid blinked in surprise.

"The Tempest? I'm starting to see the bigger picture now. Did anything else happen?" he asked.

"Well we managed to defeat the Displaced but Millicent and the other two had escaped. We then hurried back here as fast as we could." Xehanort explained.

"Oh but there was that strange man outside the Train Station." Lillian said as Eraqus nodded.

"What strange man?" Xehanort asked.

"You weren't there for it, but he said he was a policeman of some kind. Said he was hunting for someone. I think he might be from another place in time. He claimed to know you, Master." Lillian said as Yen Sid arched a curious eyebrow.

"He did?" he asked.

"Yes. He said to say that 'Professor Co enjoyed the Party of the Centuries.' Whatever that means." Eraqus said as Yen Sid thought for a moment and then grinned.

"Buzzkill." He muttered with a chuckle.

"What?" Xehanort asked as Yen Sid stood up with a laugh.

"Before your time, kids. Let's just say the Professor is indeed a policeman of a kind, and I was a bit naughty when it came to misusing my magic. But if he's here then that just means things just got a bit more complicated." Yen Sid said as he walked past them a little bit.

"Master, is my sister in trouble?" Lillian asked worriedly. Yen Sid stopped and glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Lillian, I'm afraid to say that she very much could be." He said, turning towards them with an uncharacteristically grim look on his face.

"I was going to hold your Mark of Mastery Exam tomorrow, but unfortunately Milly's actions take priority. What she's doing is something that, as the Keyblade's Chosen, we are sworn to prevent." Talw said as the two apprentices seemed disappointed.

"What exactly is she doing?" Xehanort asked, curious. Yen Sid hesitated before taking a breath.

"She's seeking to alter time itself. The visions of a Foreteller are prophecies of events that will happen. There is no escaping them. There is no preventing them, largely because the visions rarely, if ever, show the full picture. Key pieces are always left out so you rarely get a full picture of the events that will transpire. Even if you do, they're always vague enough to throw you off. This way, no matter what you do, you can't prevent the vision from becoming a reality since you don't know what to do to prevent it. What vision did Millicent have?" Yen Sid asked.

"She said that she saw Discord, Death, and Darkness." Lillian replied as Yen Sid looked at her curiously.

"Exact words?" he asked, Lillian and Eraqus both nodding.

"If that's true then she's going to attempt to use the only means of altering the future: The Tempest." Yen Sid said as Xehanort stepped forward.

"And what exactly is the Tempest?" he asked.

"That is something that not even I know the answer to. It's a secret known only to the Foretellers since they're the only ones who have ever been able to use it. I do know that those creatures, the Displaced, are connected to it." Yen Sid explained.

"What are the Displaced anyway, Master?" Lillian asked.

"The Displaced are born from using very powerful Time magics. Like using Time Magic to travel backwards or forwards in time. They persist so long as a person remains out of alignment with their own time." Yen Sid explained, causing the three to look at him worriedly.

"You mean someone has traveled back in time recently?" Eraqus asked.

"It seems that way. Traveling through time is like opening a zipper. Going to a point you don't belong in, causes a bleeding effect of sorts, resulting in the Displaced appearing. They are Time given form, corrupted by the damage done to time. The only way to get rid of them completely is for the person that traveled back in Time to return to the place they came from. The person goes back and, in doing so, zips up the wound, eliminating the Displaced." Yen Sid explained as he moved back to the thrones.

"They seem to be vulnerable to the Keyblade though." Eraqus said but Yen Sid knew better.

"Defeated, yes, but not killed. So long as the wound in Time persists, the Displaced will continue to appear." Yen Sid replied.

"I wager that Traveler guy is the culprit. Why else would he call himself the Traveler?" Lillian asked.

"Why indeed?" Xehanort said in agreement as Yen Sid sat down in the center throne again.

"So then what we have here is a priority mission. Eraqus, Lillian, you aren't Masters yet, but if you'll pardon the cliché phrase, Time is not on our side right now. We're going to knock out two birds with one stone. You are to go into the worlds and make sure Millicent does not locate the Tempest. Your objective is to stop her and to determine the source of the Displaced in order to send them back." Yen Sid said as the two Apprentices looked at each other and smiled with determination.

"So our objectives are to find Millicent and to trace the source of the Displaced? Those are the two birds, right?" Eraqus asked, causing Talw to pause.

"Yes but I'm also going to consider this your Mark of Mastery Exam. Your performance on this mission will determine whether or not you are ready to become True Keyblade Masters. So you will need to split up and act on your own." Talw said as the two exchanged surprised looks before looking back at the Keyblade Master.

"We won't let you down, Master." Lillian said as they both bowed.

"Don't worry about letting me down. Worry about letting yourselves down. Oh, one more thing. In your travels, be sure to keep an eye out for Master Ory. He's been out of contact for a while due to his constant wanderings. If you find him, bring him up to speed and try to convince him to help. It shouldn't take much. He may even be on the trail already." Yen Sid said.

"We'll keep an eye out for him for sure, Master." Eraqus said as the two stood up

"Thank you for this opportunity, Master." Lillian said before turning and hurrying towards the front doors, leaving Yen Sid, Oswald, and Xehanort alone in the throne room.

"Xehanort? What about you?" Yen Sid asked. Xehanort looked towards him.

"I intend to give them a hand. I am curious as to what this Tempest is. Perhaps it may be useful in my own research." Xehanort said as Yen Sid gave a nod.

"Alright but don't let that be your focus. This is a serious matter, Xehanort. Don't let your own zeal for knowledge cloud your judgement." Yen Sid said as Xehanort started for the door, pausing to glance at the Keyblade Master over his shoulder.

"If I find anything of use towards my own research, I assure you it will come secondary to my own interests." Xehanort replied as he continued on towards the door. Yen Sid watched him leave before rising to his feet again.

"Master, I think I should probably return to my world. My people might need me if the Displaced show up." Oswald said but Yen Sid stroked his beard.

"Actually, Oswald, I want you to remain here. I believe your world might already be protected. I want to test to see whether it is or not." Yen Sid said as he waved his hand in front of him, causing a glowing ring of light to appear in front of him. Within the ring appeared a monochrome image of an old steamboat chugging along down the river while the sound of someone whistling a jaunty tune could be heard from the boat.

…

Outside the Castle, Xehanort emerged onto a large balcony where Eraqus and Lillian stood looking out over the ocean before them.

"Our first mission…and we have to split up to accomplish it." Lillian said as Eraqus smiled at her.

"Any visions as to how it will end?" he asked but Lillian shook her head.

"None, and that's neither a good thing nor a bad thing." She replied.

"Well I'm taking it as a good thing." He said, taking her hands in his. Xehanort quietly lingered near the edge, giving the couple their space.

"Be careful out there. Try not to come back with any scars. Not on that pretty face of yours." She said as Eraqus chuckled.

"You too. Come back safely my daughter of the sea. I love you." He said as they started to lean in.

"I love you too." She replied, the two kissing for a moment before separating. Eraqus then glanced towards Xehanort.

"What? Nothing?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort smirked and chuckled.

"Please. I'm not without a heart." He replied.

"Well actually if you anagram your name just so…" Lillian said with a coy smirk, earning a glare from Xehanort.

"Oh not that again! Get moving before I preemptively flunk you both!" Xehanort said, causing the two to laugh and assume positions facing the ocean, standing side-by-side. Eraqus and Lillian both put a hand to their arm guards, summoning their Keyblade Armor in a flash. Eraqus's armor was a faded green armor and sported a small Mark of Mastery symbol in its center. The rest of the armor on its arms, legs, and chest were predominantly bronze and silver. Its pointed, armored boots were black and gold and its upper arms and thighs had wide, supplementary armor with gold edges covering them. The helmet was silver with a gold chin with jagged "teeth" and a Mark of Mastery symbol of the same color adorning its forehead. The helmet was also decorated by three long, thin, silver pikes on its top and sides. Its hands and neck were covered by a black material. (A/N: It's the Armor of the Master from BBS Final Mix).

Lillian's armor was femininely built but was predominantly black with bright blue highlights. Her helmet was similar to Aqua's helmet only with the color differences and a pair of glowing cyan blue "eyes."

"Guess it's time I armored up as well." Xehanort said, reaching towards the twin belts around his waist, putting a hand on them. In a flash his armor appeared around him. His was black with white highlights styled with a symbol similar to a Fleur-de-lis in white (A/N: It's the No Heart armor from BBS Final Mix).

"Geez, Xehanort, your armor seems to get flashier every time I see it." Eraqus laughed as Xehanort looked towards him, summoning his Keyblade and tossing it into the air with a flick of the wrist.

"Why hello Pot, my name is Kettle. Have we met before?" Xehanort retorted, causing Lillian to snort with laughter as Eraqus summoned his Keyblade and threw them into the air, both his and Xehanort's Keyblades returning to the ground in the forms of their Keyblade Gliders. Eraqus's glider was a long space motorcycle-like vehicle with parts of his Keyblade's handle forming a pair of engines at the back and the E shaped tooth split into two forming a pair of long downward swept vanes at the front while leaving two trails of white energy (A/N: Think something similar to a speeder bike from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi).

Xehanort's Glider had four wings similar to his Keyblade's design but proceeded to attach itself to his back, functioning like a jetpack.

"You boys and your gliders." Lillian chuckled with a smirk as she turned towards a door to the side, next to the doors leading into the throne room.

"She still using that old boat?" Xehanort asked.

"It's called a dory!" Lillian quipped as she walked through the door, descending down a spiraling flight of stairs. Eraqus and Xehanort proceeded to fly off the balcony and down to a large canal that ran beneath the castle. Moored in a small alcove beneath the castle was a wooden dory with a black flag bearing a white Mark of Mastery insignia coupled with two crossed Keyblades beneath it. Lillian emerged onto the dock just Eraqus and Xehanort arrived and immediately climbed into the boat.

"I'm surprised you use that old boat instead of a Keyblade Glider." Xehanort commented as his and Eraqus's helmets vanished.

"It's how people traveled the Lanes Between before they discovered Gliders. It's still just as effective, and just as fast." Lillian explained as she cast the boat off with her Keyblade, unfurling its sails and steering it out towards the open sea before her.

"She's a daughter of the sea. She comes from a world that's predominantly ocean. It's in her blood." Eraqus said as Xehanort chuckled as they started following Lillian, flying low alongside her.

"Hope you get used to her paying attention to her boat instead of y-." Xehanort said but paused when he noticed Eraqus laughing quietly to himself.

"Joke's on you. I proposed to her on her dory." Eraqus replied.

"Hid the ring under an old plank I had to remove." Lillian added as Xehanort laughed.

"Any plans on where you'll search first?" Xehanort asked.

"I know where Milly might go to start her search. I'm heading there first." Lillian said.

"I want to ask a mutual friend about the Displaced. If I can find out more about them, then maybe they may lead me to Millicent or one of her cohorts." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave a nod.

"Wise plans of action." Xehanort said.

"Where are you starting, X?" Millicent asked. Xehanort smirked towards them.

"The one place Millicent wouldn't expect us to start our search for her." He replied as his helmet appeared on his head. Eraqus looked back to see the castle Disneylahn shrinking in to the distance behind them.

"Alright then, let's go. The worlds await." Eraqus said as he and Xehanort took to the skies, beginning their mission. Lillian's Dory started to glow with a cone of energy, the water immediately beneath it taking on a sort of rainbow color as it picked up speed, launching into the lanes between.

…

**Elsewhere in the Worlds…**

Millicent, the strange woman, and the Traveler stood in a dark alleyway, staring at a magic orb being held by the Traveler. The orb was cycling through live images of Eraqus, Lillian, and Xehanort as they embarked on their mission.

"They're on the move. I guess the Displaced aren't as effective as I had hoped." Millicent said as the woman looked towards her with a curious smile.

"Maybe not against those three as a group, but now that they're on the move and alone, they'll be far more effective, especially if we call upon the stronger Displaced." The woman said. Millicent gave a nod of approval.

"Do it. Summon them. If nothing else they can slow them down while also helping us find the Tempest." Millicent ordered, the woman smiling and giving a nod.

"As you wish, but why not simply destroy them altogether?" the woman asked, earning a glare from Millicent.

"My sister and her fiancé are not to be harmed! Slow them down or stop them, nothing more. No killing." Millicent ordered. The woman gave a light shrug.

"As you wish." She replied.

"What of the other?" the Traveler asked, focusing the orb on Xehanort. Millicent glared at the orb, her eyes aglow as she recalled her visions.

"Kill him without mercy. I don't know what role he plays in the future, but his hands are shoulder deep within the Darkness. I will not have him acquire my Tome." Millicent ordered, the Traveler banishing the orb.

"Your Tome? What good would it do him?" the woman asked.

"It contains information he seeks, dangerous information at that. Information he could use and bring about the very future I have foreseen and mean to prevent." Millicent explained as the Traveler put his hands behind his back.

"He intrigues me. I ask you let me take care of him." The Traveler said as Millicent looked at him.

"Be cautious. He is a Keyblade Master and very powerful." Millicent warned as the Traveler turned and started walking away.

"Don't worry. I have a few surprises of my own." The Traveler said as he walked away.

"As do I. I'll try not to leave any marks on the fiancé. I imagine you'd rather deal with your sister yourself?" the woman asked as she turned and started walking away as well.

"You assume correctly. If I can get her to see reason, our mission will become much easier." Millicent said as the woman disappeared into the alleys. Millicent watched her leave before pulling a hood up over her head and stepping out into the streets of a town with a large castle in the center of it.

"And this is where the search shall begin." Millicent said as she started to walk the streets…

…the streets of Radiant Garden.

* * *

**End Chapter 6**

The song above was an edited version of "Perfect World" from Disney's "The Emperor's New Groove." I do not own the song.

Eraqus's armor (Armor of the Master) and Xehanort's armor (No Heart) can be seen on the Kingdom Hearts Wiki, along with Xehanort's Keyblade Glider if you need a visual reference for them.

If you don't know what a dory is, a great example would be the small boat that Jack Sparrow sails into Port Royal on in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie (the one that sinks beneath him). And yes, Lillian's has a Keyblade styled Jolly Roger flying from it. I do envision Lillian and Millicent as having come from Port Royal (or at least a Pirates of the Caribbean world) and this further illustrates the connection.


	7. Sorceress & Mage

Magician's Bayou, a quiet and simple world that was largely swamp with a few shanties and French styled homes and buildings. A flash of light in the center of town however heralded Eraqus's arrival. Eraqus looked around for a moment to get his bearings. It wasn't his first visit to the Bayou. He started off down one of the streets, knowing exactly which direction to go. He didn't notice that he was being watched by the woman in red from the shadows.

"What brings you here, I wonder." She pondered aloud, raising one of her clawed hands, a swirl of golden sand starting to spin around it before turning black and suddenly exploding as she backed into the shadows. Eraqus was still walking down the street when he paused, sensing something was amiss. That's when he saw them, a pair of Displaced moving in a hobbling run on their stubby legs, through town only now they were accompanied by slightly larger ones with two longer antennae, resembling Neo-Shadow Heartless to some extent, and with the purple hourglass insignia on their foreheads. Eraqus quickly summoned his Keyblade. (Battle Music Cue: Risky Romp – BBS)

"Looks like I came to the right place." He said before starting to chase after the fleeting Displaced. As he chased after them, he saw that the beasts were headed towards a large mansion, one he recognized.

"Not so fast!" he yelled, quickly stopping and dropping into a stance with his Keyblade reared around to his left side, squatting down slightly, as petals of pink energy appeared in the air around him. Suddenly in a flash of light he vanished, the sound of metal slicing flesh echoing before reappearing ahead of the Displaced with his Keyblade held out to the side. The Displaced suddenly exploded in bursts of golden sands, slain by Eraqus's Zantetzukan ability. He looked over his shoulder, looking for more but he didn't see any. (End Battle Music)

"I suppose you think that to be an impressive display." A voice said from nearby. Eraqus spun around, looking for the source. He looked forward towards the mansion to see if perhaps the source had come from inside. But he didn't notice the woman in red suddenly appearing just over his right shoulder, her clawed hands raised and a malicious smile on her face.

"If you do, then you leave much to be desired." She added, causing Eraqus to quickly leap forward, tuck into a roll, and then quickly popping back up towards her with his Keyblade at the ready. The woman merely stood there with a dark smile.

"Who are you?!" Eraqus asked.

"A Sorceress from another world and another time. That is all you need know. What interests me is why you came to this world first, instead of joining your beloved in her search for her sister." The woman said with a coy and sly tone, almost taunting Eraqus to some extent.

"So you are from the future?" Eraqus asked as the woman chuckled in dark amusement.

"A future where you and your beloved are forever separated. A future where your heart aches for what could have been but never will be." The woman explained, earning a scowl from Eraqus.

"You clearly don't understand the hearts of some people." Eraqus retorted, causing the woman to narrow her eyes but keep smiling darkly at him.

"Or perhaps I've seen how the heart has been used again and again over time to bring down even the greatest of men, turn them into monsters. You think you know a person's heart and then that person becomes something you never thought they were." The woman explained with a dark smile.

"What are you talking about? Are you a Foreteller?" Eraqus asked but the woman merely laughed again in dark amusement. (Battle Music Cue: Unforgettable – BBS)

"You intrigue me. You have such faith in your friends but it will be your undoing. All will bow to Time, and I think I will make you the first." She said, raising her hand towards him. Eraqus stood ready to fight as her hand swirled with golden sands. Eraqus stood ready as the woman summoned forth a number of Displaced, a mixture of the ordinary smaller ones and the Neo-Shadow-esque Displaced. She then proceeded to lift off the ground, hovering in the air slightly.

"Come and learn why Time is the most powerful of all elements." The woman said as Eraqus dropped into his fighting stance. The Displaced suddenly lurched forward, Eraqus quickly dodging to the side and hurling a Firaga at the crowd of Displaced, obliterating two of them. He leapt back in time to dodge a swing from the Displaced as they closed in on him. He quickly swung his Keyblade across, slicing through at least three of them and forcing the rest back.

"Ah ha, so you guys fear the Keyblade! Good to KNOW!" he exclaimed, casting a Blizzaga into the crowd and obliterating a small swath of them.

"En-Blizzard!" he yelled, his Keyblade suddenly starting to glow with a white-blue aura and emit cold vapors from it. He quickly leapt into the crowd of Displaced, swinging at them, each swing causing an eruption of icy spikes in the direction of the swing, the spikes quickly crumbling away after a moment. The Displaced were being cut down in piles but were replenishing their numbers faster than he could cut them down. The Displaced were now forming a circle around him, surrounding him. Eraqus looked around as the woman chuckled menacingly.

"Done already?" she asked from overhead. Eraqus merely smirked towards her.

"No way. I'm just getting warmed up!" Eraqus said before starting to glow with a cold blue light, emitting vapors from his whole body. He'd entered the Diamond Dust Command Style! He immediately started carving his way through large swaths of Displaced, making his way through the Displaced before finally having the whole horde behind him. He spun towards them and pointed his Keyblade at them.

"Eat this!" he declared, his Keyblade glowing with white light before he swung it across him, conjuring six long lengths of chains made of light. The Light Chains started snaking through the Displaced, smashing through them until their numbers had been cut down to a fourth, the chains freezing in place before shattering. Eraqus launched forward to take down the remaining Displaced but before he could, he came under fire from the woman who started conjuring large purple wedge-like darts of energy, the bolts raining down towards him, forcing him onto the defensive, deflecting the darts with his Keyblade. The woman merely smirked towards him as she hovered through the air over the Displaced.

"Is this all you have? I expected more from a wielder of the Keyblade." The woman said, raising her hand towards him. Eraqus merely smirked.

"I just said I was just getting warmed up!" Eraqus said, pointing his Keyblade at her. Before either could act however, a massive fireball came screaming towards the woman from out of nowhere. Her eyes widened in alarm before the fireball exploded upon impact. Eraqus shielded himself from the explosion but when he looked he saw nothing left of her but a crater…at least at first. The Displaced had vanished but the woman reappeared further back from the mansion in a strange black haze, looking angry. She had teleported clear of the attack. (End Battle Music)

"Impudent fool." She hissed, summoning several large purple arrows made of energy into the air around her with intent to fire them towards him but both she and Eraqus paused when they heard what sounded like a woman belting out a haughty laugh.

"OHHH-HO-HO-HO-HO!" the laugh echoed. Eraqus recognized this voice and grinned.

"Now you're in for it." He muttered as the door to the mansion opened.

"My-my and here I wondered who was making such a racket. I come outside to find a pair of total losers that are far below my bracket." A diminutive woman with a small black nose and blonde hair kept in a pair of pigtails. She had a pair of pince-nez on her face which she removed as she glared at the woman in red. The woman in red glared at her with a slight scowl.

"It seems our paths cross once more." The woman said as the smaller woman pocketed the glasses.

"Have we met before and perhaps crossed sword? I suppose I should thank you because until recently, I was quite bored." The smaller woman said as she paused next to Eraqus who grinned a little at the sight of the woman.

"It's good to see you again Professor Shantotto." Eraqus greeted as the Tarutaru Black Mage shot him a polite but haughty smile.

"And you assume you've gotten off all scot-free. I hope you had a good reason for seeking me." Professor Shantotto (From Final Fantasy XI) said as she put her hands on her tiny hips. She then turned to glare at the other woman.

"And don't think I've forgotten about you, Otherworldly Witch. I remember our past battles and I wonder, do you still have that twitch?" Shantotto asked with a smug and coy glare while the other woman merely glared at them.

"I am more powerful than you. Your power will fortify mine." The woman said, conjuring the arrows again but Shantotto yawned and pulled her staff from her back.

"Total loser, you still haven't learned. I suppose I shall have to remind you of the failing grade you have consistently earned." Shantotto said, pointing her staff at the woman. It was a tense stand-off for a moment before the woman finally fired off the arrows but all of them were intercepted by a sudden volley of high speed spheres of water, the spheres flying through the air like cannon balls, barreling towards the woman who quickly vanished with a dark smirk, the spheres impacting into a tree behind she had been standing and shattering it to splinters. The woman reappeared atop a nearby building, smiling down at them.

"It seems I underestimated you. I shall have to take a different approach against you." The woman said before vanishing in a Corridor of Darkness. Eraqus sneered at where she vanished as he dismissed his Keyblade with a sigh. Shantotto gave a yawn.

"Total loser, she's quite persistent. Now for you, to know why you're here, I'm most insistent." Shantotto said giving him a smile, putting her glasses back on.

"Well first, thanks for the save but I had her. And Second, you kinda saw why I'm here." Eraqus said as Shantotto crossed her arms over her chest and smiled coyly at him.

"If it's protection you seek you won't find it here. But if it's knowledge you're after, it might be above your tier." She said but Eraqus laughed.

"No-no, Professor. I don't need protection. I just need answers. Do you know anything about the Displaced or something called the Tempest?" Eraqus asked as Shantotto turned towards her mansion.

"Ah so that would explain the Sorceress from beyond our Time. Come, let's us speak inside where things will be far more sublime." Shantotto said as she led him into her mansion, leading him to a sitting room where a tea table and chairs sat.

"Come, let us sit and chat. It's been a while since we've met. You seem to have gotten fat." Shantotto said as she sat down in a chair that magically extended its legs so she was eye level with Eraqus in his seat, the tea table sliding in between them.

"We've got a problem. Master Millicent has gone rogue. That woman out there is working with her to try and find something called the Tempest." Eraqus said as Shantotto sipped some tea.

"Unsurprising given the Sorceress's fetish. The danger she poses is not something to embellish." Shantotto remarked as Eraqus looked at her curiously.

"Who is she, Professor? You say she's a Sorceress?" he asked, Shantotto giving a nod, setting down her tea.

"A total loser is closer to the truth. I'd tell you the whole story but it's rather uncouth. Ultimecia's her name and tampering with Time is her game. Battled her several times and won in a past life, I remember some fellows there, named Branford, Clauser, and Strife." Shantotto said, lost in thought.

"So her name's Ultimecia?" Eraqus asked, earning a nod from the Professor.

"So far your grade is passing. Hope you can do more against her than simply harassing." She said as Eraqus sat back a little.

"We'll come back to her. Then what about the Displaced and the Tempest? What can you tell me about them?" Eraqus asked as Shantotto took another sip of tea.

"The Displaced, I wager your Master has shed some light upon. But I also wager you're looking for a way to make them all gone. Born of time's wounds they are bred, in places where Darkness dares to tread. To end them all, the wound you will have to find. Find the wound and then seal it back up in kind. But this is no easy task for one without a Foreteller's vision. You will need your fiancée to help you find the incision." Shantotto explained.

"So to stop the Displaced means finding the wound in time and only Lillian can see it?" Eraqus asked as Shantotto gave a nod, sipping more tea.

"Alright, then what about the Tempest?" he asked.

"Forbidden knowledge even for a promising student. I'm afraid telling you simply wouldn't be prudent." Shantotto said.

"Oh come on, Professor. How are we supposed to stop them from finding this thing if we don't know what to look for?" Eraqus asked as Shantotto paused, glancing away with a scowl.

"I haven't quite forgiven you for an unspoken sin. For you to achieve my life's only regret, I don't know where to begin." She muttered as Eraqus smiled at her sympathetically.

"You're still annoyed that I got engaged?" Eraqus asked as Shantotto sighed and smiled.

"Jealousy over my own regrets is what I am feeling. But with my own emotions I alone will be dealing." Shantotto said as she hopped off the chair and stepped towards a window in thought.

"So you'll tell me about the Tempest?" Eraqus asked.

"I shall indeed tell you all I know, but alas it'll disappoint you. Don't say I didn't warn you so." She said, turning towards him.

"The Tempest, to me, is a complete unknown. No clues, no hints, and that annoys my every bone. The ability to alter Time is enough of a warning. If not used carefully, all of reality we could be mourning. Beyond that I've said all I've known, now it is up to you to keep those seeds from being sown." Shantotto said as Eraqus sighed in exasperation.

"Alright, thanks Professor. I appreciate the help." He said as he stood up.

"A proper gift you can expect for your graduation. I also await your nuptials with great anticipation. Now don't forget all that you have learned, and on that note, class is adjourned!" Shantotto said before the floor beneath Eraqus suddenly started to bow and distort, carrying him into the hall and launch him out the door, sending him tumbling along the dirt. He sat up in time to see the door to her mansion slamming shut. He couldn't help but chuckle as he pushed himself up off the ground.

"Never change, Professor." He said, dusting himself off and starting to walk away from the mansion. He was just passing through the gates when he saw a familiar man in a suit running towards him and slide to a halt.

"What? Oh it's you! Quick, did you see a lady in red pass through here?" the man asked. It was Professor Co.

"You mean Ultimecia? She ran off I'm afraid." Eraqus replied as Co snarled in frustration.

"Ran off?! Again! That lass, I'll catch her eventually." Co grumbled as Eraqus arched a curious eyebrow.

"So she's the one you're after, then." Eraqus said as Co gave a nod.

"Right you are. I guess you've run into her." He said. Eraqus motioned towards Shantotto's mansion.

"Yeah she conjured some Displaced and ambushed me outside that mansion. She ran off when Professor Shantotto showed up…you don't happen to know each other do you? I mean you're both Professors, I assume." Eraqus said but Co just smiled and shook his head.

"Not personally, but I know who she is. Oh she's legendary where I come from. But that's more than I can say." Co replied.

"But you both know Ultimecia somehow." Eraqus said as Co arched a curious eyebrow.

"Do we? That's interesting. Probably nothing. Probably everything. Doesn't really matter though. You haven't seen that Traveler guy lately, have you?" Co asked but Eraqus shook his head.

"No I haven't. But who is that Traveler? Are you after him now too?" Eraqus asked as Co gave a grim nod.

"I can't go into too much detail. Against the rules and what-not. Put simply, he's dangerous. I'm not sure why Master Millicent would partner with him…or is it why he would partner with her? Can't figure that part out yet. But, I can't stay and chat. Need to move on, try and find those two rogues before they do irrevocable harm." Co said, starting to walk away but Eraqus grabbed his arm.

"Hold on, I need to know something. Are you from the future?" he asked. Co turned and looked at him with a serious look.

"I can't answer that." He replied seriously.

"Really?" Eraqus asked but Co suddenly grinned.

"Nah just joking. Yes, I am from the future. I can't go into too much detail though. You understand. My job is to make sure that time plays out correctly. You know, making sure all the right things happen at the right time. Ultimecia and this Traveler bloke aren't supposed to be here. They have the potential to really mess things up." Co said as he pulled out his pocket watch, looking at it.

"And have they so far?" Eraqus asked but Co looked at his watch strangely for a moment before pocketing it.

"Can't say. Well, I know the answer but I'm not allowed to say. Serious about that one. Truly not allowed to answer there." Co said with a shrug.

"I get it. Rules of time I'm guessing." Eraqus said as Co gave a nod.

"Aye. Sorry. It's the way it works. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get on with my search and I wager you need to get on with yours." Co said as he turned and raised his hand away from them, conjuring a strange doorway in the air like before.

"Any recommendations on where I should go?" Eraqus asked as Co smiled towards him.

"We~ll…" he said, clearly hesitant to answer. Eraqus chuckled and started backing away.

"I get it, I get it. If I find Ultimecia, how will I be able to let you know?" Eraqus asked as Co smiled, backing away towards the doorway.

"You won't. We'll meet up at the right place and at the right time. Go ahead and groan at the cliché. It's an occupational hazard in my line of work." Co replied as he disappeared into the doorway, the doorway closing and disappearing immediately afterwards. Eraqus looked at the empty space where Co had vanished in thought for a moment before turning and looking upwards towards the sky. He saw three stars twinkling a little brighter than the rest overhead and smirked.

"Guess that's a good place to start." He said, summoning and throwing his Keyblade up into the air and summoning his armor. He then leapt high into the air, his Keyblade Glider catching him just as he started to fall, carrying him out of the world and into the stars.

The world began to fade away, allowing the library in the Land of Departure to return. However as the lights came back on, only Axel sat in his place. Aqua, Ven, and Terra were oddly huddled in a corner, knees to their chests, facing the corner.

"What the hell is wrong with you three?" Axel asked, confused.

"Not her again…anything but her again." Terra muttered as the trio sat in their emo corner. Axel couldn't help but snort in amusement.

"Oh yeah. Riku told me about your reactions to the little Professor lady. Jeez you guys are pathetic." Axel said as he stood up and stretched.

"Good time as any for a potty break." He said to himself, headed for the door, leaving the three to their PTSD.

* * *

**End Chapter 7**

Yes, that is indeed Ultimecia from Final Fantasy VIII as the woman in red. Given her motives and goals in her originating game, it seemed appropriate to use her in this story. I will confirm that the "past battles" between Shantotto and Ultimecia are their battles in the Dissidia Final Fantasy games.

A small note regarding Battle Music themes. The "HD Remixes" of the core Kingdom Hearts games also include newer versions of the soundtracks. I intend to use both original and remix versions for battle music. I highly recommend the Kingdom Hearts Insider website for a complete library of Kingdom Hearts soundtracks, including piano collections. I will make sure to specify if it's supposed to be the original or remix. For example, (Battle Music Cue: The 13th Struggle - KH2), or (Battle Music Cue: The 13th Struggle - Re:CoM), or (Battle Music Cue: The 13th Struggle - KH2 Remix). That was but just an example. And if i can get my hands on the Kingdom Hearts 3 Soundtrack, I'll start using them too.


	8. Radiant Garden

Axel returned to the library, carrying a few bags of snacks, a few minutes later to find Aqua, Ven, and Terra had recovered from their bouts of "Post-Traumatic-Shantotto-Disorder" and were back on their couches.

"Did we all find our laughing places?" Axel asked cheekily.

"Yeah, we're good now." Terra replied, Axel tossing him a bag of pretzels.

"Riku mentioned you guys have a bad reaction to that little lady. Just from her power alone, I can tell she's pretty whoppin' powerful. So what's with you guys?" Axel asked, tossing Ven a pack of trail mix.

"Master Eraqus would send us away to Professor Shantotto's mansion for a week every so often to learn advanced magic techniques." Aqua said, politely refusing any of Axel's snack offerings with a hand and a shake of her head.

"And we all kinda had some…traumatic experiences." Ven added.

"Such as?" Axel asked.

"You don't want to know. Believe me, you don't." Terra replied. Axel shrugged and sat down on his couch.

"Alright, I'll leave it alone. So then, this Ultimecia chick…any clue who she is?" Axel asked.

"I checked the Book of Eraqus but there was no mention of her. And there wasn't any mention of the Tempest. However, there was mention of the Displaced." Aqua explained, holding up Eraqus's Master's Tome.

"Anything more he can shed on the subject?" Ven asked as Aqua opened the book, opening to the page she had marked for the Displaced.

"Pretty much the same as what Professor Shantotto mentioned, but a little more. Aside from acting as minions, Displaced also serve another purpose. Similar to how Heartless instinctively seek out the Hearts of others and the Worlds, the Displaced are drawn towards strong Time Magics." Aqua explained.

"Such as the Tempest?" Terra asked.

"Possibly. Master Eraqus doesn't mention the Tempest, like I said." Aqua replied.

"So basically the Displaced were acting as Millicent's Bloodhounds?" Ven asked.

"Sounds like it." Axel said as Aqua got up from her couch and walked over to one of the bookshelves.

"Aqua you're not going to read while we view the next chapter are you?" Terra asked.

"I'm looking for a book on the Displaced. I remember seeing one here once but Master wouldn't let me read it back in the day." Aqua replied as she scanned over the stacks.

"Well, you mind if we continue the story while you browse?" Ven asked.

"Sure, go ahead." Aqua replied as Ven raised a hand towards the Arcana Librium, the book starting to glow as the world around them darkened, the older Lillian at her desk as she wrote into her book.

"_Eraqus's discovery about the Displaced and his encounter with Ultimecia would only be the first of several discoveries and encounters. As for me, it seems that I knew my sister well enough to know where she would begin her search for the Tempest." _Lillian explained as the darkened world around her began to be replaced by a city that all of them recognized…

…

Lillian's dory emerged from beneath a bridge crossing over a river that seemed to circle the edge of town. The city seemed to gleam with clean cobblestone, homey and inviting buildings, while a large wall was under construction. A castle at the heart of the city was surrounded by scaffolds as it underwent construction as well. The cliffs and hills surrounding the city however seemed strange, with tall blue stone hills, ridges, and cliffs. Lillian had only heard of the place from stories and her sister's recollections but now she saw it with her own two eyes and it made her grin. The first world she'd ever been to besides Disneylahn, Twilight Town, or Magician's Bayou, and it was none other than…

"Radiant Garden…it's everything she said it was." Lillian said with a smile as her armor vanished. She brought her dory into dock at a small pier, tying it up and soon hurrying into town. As she wandered through town, looking for her sister, her Keyblade suddenly appeared. (Battle Music Cue: Black Garden – BBS)

"Trouble?" she asks, looking at her weapon. She hears a commotion coming from up the street and starts hurrying towards the source. She rounds the corner and approaches a nearby courtyard. She arrives in time to find several of the smaller Displaced along with a few of the bigger ones, surrounding a man roughly Lillian's age in a white coat and red scarf over a dark grey vest, violet ascot, and a white shirt along with black pants and shoes. He had blond hair worn slicked back while his face was clean shaven. He was clutching a red book, glaring at the Displaced in anger as the beasts started to encircle him.

"Don't move!" Lillian called to the man as she charged into battle. The man looked at her curiously as she swept her Keyblade across in front of her at the Displaced. She suddenly seemed to freeze in place mid-step. Suddenly the Displaced all started to explode in place in showers of gold and purple sand, the sand dissolving away. The man looked around confused before noticing that Lillian had vanished. (End Battle Music)

"There, that's all of them it seems." He heard her say. He spun around to see Lillian was standing behind him, facing away from him as she dismissed her Keyblade. She then turned towards him with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I am, yes. Thanks to you." He replied. He spoke with a deep voice.

"Good. Be careful. More of those things may show up." She said, turning to leave. The man however looked at her suspiciously.

"That was Time magic you used just now, wasn't it? You either can move very fast or you just used time magic to speed yourself up to the point I couldn't tell what had happened. Or perhaps it was some kind of an illusion spell to play with my mind?" the man asked as Lillian turned towards him with a smile.

"Time Magic, yes. I sped time up for myself and eliminated the Displaced before they could move. I had to resort to melee attacks though since you were in the middle of them." Lillian explained as the man rubbed his chin.

"I see. How did you accomplish such a feat? I understand Time Magic of such an advanced skill is rather difficult and taxing for the average magic user and comes with several risks." The man said as Lillian chuckled.

"You seem rather knowledgeable about magic." Lillian said as the man stood stoically.

"It is my business. I am a scientist." He replied as Lillian gave a polite nod.

"Well it shows. I take it self-defense is not your business however." She said as the man glanced away in light shame.

"Regretfully not. I suppose I could invent some automated means of defending the town from creatures such as this but such a design would take decades to implement. A faster and perhaps most ideal solution would be to form a city guard perhaps." The man said, looking thoughtful but Lillian laughed a little.

"No, I meant for yourself. Like, learn to take up a sword and defend yourself. Or perhaps learn a magic spell or two to defend yourself." She said but the man looked at her with a serious expression.

"That is one option, perhaps. And perhaps in my defense, such a consideration had not occurred to me as being necessary until I encountered those creatures. The only threats at all in town are the occasional street roughs…or at least they were before those creatures showed up…and now you show up as well to fight them." The man said, giving her a studying look.

"I'm not the one who brought these creatures here, if that is what you are implying. I'm here to fight them, certainly, but not permanently." Lillian said as the man gave a nod.

"Of course. I should also reward you I suppose for saving my life." He said but she shook her head.

"That won't be necessary. I'm not interested in rewards…although I won't turn down information." She said. The man gave a nod of agreement.

"A worthy trade. What knowledge do you seek?" he asked.

"I'm looking for someone. A woman a little older than me. She might be dressed in seaman's cloth like me. Or barring that, perhaps you've seen a man in a black coat or a woman in red with wings? They would be strangers around here, like I am." Lillian explained. The man thought for a moment.

"The man in the coat and the woman in red I don't recall. But I do remember seeing an older woman in sailor's garb passing through the marketplace, that way." The man said, pointing towards Lillian. She turned to see he was pointing at a street leading towards the castle.

"I see, thank you. If you see the other two individuals by the way, avoid them if you can. They're dangerous." Lillian said, starting to leave.

"Before you go, I would like to know the name of the woman who saved my life." He said as Lillian paused and smiled towards him.

"My name is Lillian." She replied with a polite curtsy. He bowed in return.

"And I am Ansem. I hope we meet again soon." He replied. She briefly looked away from him, her eyes aglow as she peered into his future. What she saw made her smile.

"I can't say that we will or won't. But I know you've got a bright future ahead of you…your highness." She said, curtseying again although with a bit more respect implied. He smiled warmly in response.

"What gave me away?" Ansem asked.

"Woman's intuition. I know a bright future when I see one." She replied but Ansem laughed.

"Very well. I shall not keep you any longer. Thank you once again." Ansem said as Lillian gave a polite nod and walked away. Ansem watched her leave with a curious smile, rubbing his chin.

"Woman's intuition? Unlikely." Ansem muttered in thought, quietly theorizing as to how Lillian had seemingly deduced his title.

Lillian however had resumed her search for Millicent. She wasn't aware that a hooded Millicent had been watching her with Ansem for the latter half of their conversation from the rooftops nearby. Lillian quietly walked onto a street that led past a seemingly vacant house. She paused, noticing the door was open and quietly turned towards it, peaking inside. She saw nothing inside save for a single elevated round platform in the center of the room. A "For Sale" sign in the window showed that the house hadn't been purchased yet but it had clearly been lived in as papers seemed to be scattered on the floor. Lillian stepped inside, looking around but saw nothing unusual.

"You saw his future, I presume?" a familiar voice asked. Lillian spun around in surprise to see Millicent entering the room, pulling her hood back as she did.

"Milly!" she yelped as Millicent turned towards her.

"He will be a wise ruler indeed, but he will have a bout with the Darkness…I can't exactly tell if it is of his own choice however." Millicent said, referring to Ansem.

"Master Yen Sid said you're seeking out the Tempest to try and alter the future. Is that possible?" Lillian asked as Millicent gave a slight nod.

"Is it possible for the Tempest to change the future? Not on its own. The Tempest is complicated, I don't fully understand it myself. But if it will allow me to prevent the future I foresaw, I will do so." Millicent declared. Lillian seemed confused and hurt by this.

"If the future is as dark as you've seen, then how come we've not shared this vision before? You've never mentioned a vision like this to me before and I've never had one like it either. All my visions have been positive or of the light. Perhaps they're of events that haven't transpired yet or won't even happen within our lifetimes." Lillian said as Millicent sighed in minor frustration.

"Lilly, you're still young. You still do not fully understand the scope and meaning of our visions. You probably only see the bright futures because you wish to. Sometimes, you must choose to see the dark ones so as to adequately prepare. And I've been having this dark vision for my whole life." Millicent explained. This seemed to surprise Lillian a bit.

"You've been having this vision your whole life and never mentioned it?" Lillian asked.

"It is a vision of great Darkness, the worlds shrouded by it. Discord, Death, and Darkness reigning over all with no hope in sight…what's worse is that I fear the hand that will steer us towards our own doom is one you call a friend." Millicent explained, confusing Lillian.

"Eraqus?" she asked but Millicent shook her head.

"No, my dear Lilly. Not your beloved Eraqus. If it were him, I wouldn't be so eager to give you both my blessing. No, the hand I see is Xehanort's." Millicent said, earning a skeptical look from Lillian.

"X? But he's only dark on the outside. I've not had many visions of his future but I wouldn't call him-…" Lillian said but Millicent sighed heavily in frustration.

"I only know what I've seen in my visions. Xehanort and I have had…conversations that I've found suspicious. He has designs on delving deep into old lore. I worry about what he may do with the answers to his questions. This is why I seek the Tempest, to confirm or refute that my interpretations are correct. For as I understand it, the Tempest will allow us to see exactly how the future would play out. Every detail, every cog in the machine. Wouldn't it be better to know for certain, for the sake of the worlds, to know how the darkness comes about and take steps to prevent it?" Millicent asked. Lillian seemed hesitant.

"I don't know. Master Yen Sid seems to believe that using the Tempest could be dangerous." Lillian said as Millicent started to approach her.

"Yes, there is some degree of danger I suppose. You know I'm not going to be reckless about this. How long have you known me, Lilly? Be honest." Millicent said as Lillian smiled a little.

"My whole life?" she asked as Millicent smiled back.

"That's right. We've been together all our lives. We're daughters of the sea, you and me. Don't think I didn't notice how you got here." Millicent said, putting her arm around her younger sister.

"But what about the Tempest? What if you're wrong about the future? The visions of a Foreteller are always accurate. It's our interpretations that are always in question." Lillian asked as Millicent gave a nod, mulling the question slightly.

"Give me the benefit of the doubt. As a Keyblade Master, I am sworn to protect the worlds and the hearts therein. I wouldn't forsake my oath so easily." Millicent said.

"I suppose I shouldn't have been so worried then. But I'm still worried. I mean my future as a Keyblade Master is riding on the outcome of this mission. This is my Mark of Mastery Exam after all." Lillian said, surprising Millicent.

"What?! Your Mark of-…oh my dear this is wonderful! First, news of your engagement and now your Mark of Mastery Exam? Oh you're growing up almost too quickly." Millicent said as she gently cupped Lillian's face with both hands, smiling proudly at her younger sister. Lillian smiled back appreciatively. She then frowned a little as she noticed a small tear in Millicent's eyes.

"Are you crying?" she asked. Millicent quietly dried her eyes.

"Ah just a little sentimentality." She replied as Lillian chuckled.

"More like you realize you can't fuss at me or use your 'older sister' authority…and soon you won't be able to use your authority as a Keyblade Master to command me around either." Lillian said as Millicent smiled and chuckled.

"It would seem that way. My little sister's all grown up. Oh Lilly." Millicent said with a proud smile. (Music Cue: Mother Knows Best – Tangled).

"_Look at you, once fragile as a flower.  
Once a little sapling, just a sprout.  
You know why I abused and used that power?  
That's right, to keep you safe and sound, dear."_

Millicent sang as Lillian smiled and rolled her eyes.

"_Guess I always knew this day was coming.  
Knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest."_

Millicent sang as Lillian cleared her throat.

"_Soon, but not yet."_

Lillian interjected but was quickly shushed by Millicent…

"_Shh, trust me, pet.  
Milly knows best."_

Millicent put her arm back around her sister with a small chuckle.

"_Milly knows best.  
Listen to your sister,  
It's a scary world out here!"_

"Really?" Lillian chuckled with a dry smirk as Millicent continued…

"_Milly knows best.  
One way or another,  
something can go wrong, I swear!"_

Millicent declared before starting to rattle off…

"_Heartless, Aeons, Nobodies, Espers,  
Displaced and snakes, the plague!"_

"No!" Lillian deadpanned.

"Yes!" Millicent replied overdramatically, causing Lillian to stifle a laugh.

"_Also large bugs, Men with pointy teeth and  
stop, no more, you'll just upset me!"_

Millicent sang before she then started to cuddle Lillian affectionately…

"_Milly's right here!  
Sister will protect you!  
Darling, here's what I suggest!"_

Millicent then spun Lillian towards her, placing her hands on her younger sister's shoulders, singing…

"_Become a Master,  
you'll grow faster.  
Milly knows best!"_

Millicent then stepped back, sitting down on the pedestal before faking some tears and singing…

"_Go ahead, get mobbed by the Heartless.  
Go ahead, get mugged and left for dead.  
Me, I'm just your Sister, what do I know?  
I only rescued and saved and helped you."_

Lillian rolled her eyes but smiled, shaking her head at her sister's faux-melodrama.

"_Go ahead and leave me, I deserve it.  
Let me die alone here, be my guest.  
When it's too late, you'll see, just wait…"_

Lillian then broke in with an over the top…

"_Mil~ly knows best."_

Millicent laughed as she stood up, stepping onto the pedestal, singing…

"_Milly knows best,  
take it from your Sissy.  
On your own, you __might__ survive."_

"Might?" Lillian asked, crossing her arms over her chest with a smirk…

"_Silly, oddly-dressed, quite mature, whimsy.  
Please, you'll eat them up alive.  
Studious, skilled,  
positively ready,  
Your visions are a bit, well, Mmm, vague."_

Millicent then stepped down off the pedestal, pulling a Mark of Mastery badge off Lillian's chest and opening it to reveal it as a locket with a picture of Eraqus inside…

"_Plus, I believe,  
gettin' a nice hubby.  
I'm just saying 'cause I love you."_

Lillian snatched back the locket back, putting it back on as Millicent placed her hands on Lillian's shoulders, singing…

"_Milly understands.  
Sister's here to help you.  
All I have is one request."_

Millicent then leaned in, smiling at her sister.

"Lillian…" Millicent said.

"Yes?" Lillian asked, expectantly. Millicent continued smiling but her expression seemed to darken.

"Don't ever interrupt my search for the Tempest, again." Millicent said with a serious expression. Lillian seemed quietly alarmed if not a little fearful of her older sister as Millicent smiled and pat her on the shoulder.

"(Sigh) I love you dear." Millicent said as she embraced her younger sibling.

"I love you too, Milly." Lillian replied, Millicent kissing the top of her head. She then stepped back from Lillian, heading for the door, smiling at her sister from over her shoulder.

"_Don't forget it.  
You'll regret it.  
Milly knows best."_

Millicent then slammed the door shut behind her. Lillian furrowed her brow at this and hurried to the door, attempting to catch up but the door had locked behind Millicent.

"Why the cheek of it all." She muttered, summoning her Keyblade and pointing it at the door, shooting a beam of light at the door, unlocking it, but when she did, she opened the door just in time to see Millicent pass through a Corridor made of pulsating purple and white light that shut behind her, Millicent disappearing soon after. Lillian scowled in annoyance.

"Milly." Lillian muttered, throwing her head back in frustration. She then noticed something as she looked towards the sky. Three stars, all twinkling brighter than the rest.

"Perhaps that's where you went." She muttered before taking off back the way she came, headed straight for the dock to board her dory and at the very least, try and find out more about the Tempest, knowing full well she may end up having to confront her sister again, and this time it wouldn't be a peaceful sisterly meeting.

The world began fading away again, the chapter coming to an end, leaving Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Axel in the library. Aqua had an extra book next to her on the couch but had been paying attention.

"So that's Ansem when he was young. He was kinda handsome back then." Aqua said as Axel shrugged.

"Doesn't look all that special if you ask me." Axel commented.

"Yeah, you seem to prefer your blonds spiky." Terra muttered, causing Axel to groan and roll his eyes.

"Why does everyone assume I like dudes?" Axel asked as Terra chuckled.

"Because it gets a rise out of you every time." Terra said as Axel glared at him.

"You might be the Superior but I will burn your eyebrows off." Axel hissed, causing Terra to smirk challengingly.

"**Try me." **He said in Xemnas's voice, causing Axel to back down a little.

"Hold on, if Ansem met Master Lillian, then perhaps he might know what happened to her." Ven interrupted.

"It's possible. But let's wait and see if Lillian gives away her own hiding place by the end of the story. I'm kinda anxious to learn the whole story." Aqua replied.

"Me too." Axel added.

"Find anything on the Displaced?" Terra asked as Aqua picked up the book.

"Only a catalogue of their different types. They all seem to be named after measurements of time. The smaller the measurement, the smaller the Displaced. Like the smaller Displaced we've seen so far are the Second type Displaced. The slightly larger ones are the Minute type. They go up from there." Aqua explained.

"So Second, Minute, Hour, Day, etcetera?" Axel asked.

"Apparently. The book doesn't shed any more light on them though. It does pretty much repeat what's been said already. It does give some helpful information though." Aqua explained.

"Such as?" Terra asked.

"It's best to think of the Displaced as the Heartless and Nobodies of Time. Heartless are born of Darkness, Nobodies of Nothingness, and the Displaced of Time. It's easy if you equate Seconds to Shadow Heartless, Minutes to Neoshadows, Hours to Darkballs, Days to Invisibles, etcetera." Aqua explained.

"I shudder to think of what a Month would look like…let alone a year." Axel muttered.

"Guess we'll find out. Ready for the next chapter?" Ven asked. Everyone nodded silently as Aqua raised her hand towards the Arcana Librium, beginning the next chapter.

* * *

**End Chapter 8**

The song above was an edited version of "Mother Knows Best" from Disney's Tangled. I do not own the song.

Ansem isn't going to be the only "younger face" we encounter in this story. Expect more to come. The house Lillian and Millicent were in is indeed Merlin's future home in Radiant Garden/Hollow Bastion.

When it comes to the Displaced, I had the Time element already locked into them long in advance. Originally I was going to have a character that was sort of a highly evolved Displaced, much like Vanitas and the Unversed. In this case it was initially going to be Caius Ballad from Final Fantasy XIII-2 but I decided against using him in the long run.

I didn't mention it in the text but the ability Lillian used to defeat the Unversed around Ansem was one of her Shot Locks. This one was called Haste and basically accelerates time for Lillian herself, allowing her to move faster than normal. It also pre-locks on any magic spells to any targeted enemies.


	9. The Traveler

"_When Eraqus, Xehanort, and I separated and parted ways at Disneylahn, it was understood that we would be putting our mission to find Millicent and her cohorts and prevent them from finding the Tempest first, before any personal matters. As it turns out, one of us was not honest about our intentions…Millicent was right to mistrust Xehanort, as once we left Disneylahn, Xehanort went his own way, and pursued his own goals. I never imagined then that he'd return to where our journey began. Millicent, however, proved to be a bit smarter than I think Xehanort initially thought." _Lillian's narration said as the exterior of Millicent's Mansion faded into view. In a flash of light, Xehanort appeared just outside the gates and started to approach them. His armor returned to his belt and he put his hands behind his back.

He stared at the mansion with a serious expression as he began to approach the front doors. He kept his Keyblade summoned and at his side while his left hand rested behind his back as he entered the Mansion. He looked around as he entered the foyer, but saw no one. He then made his way up the stairs and towards the Library. He smirked a little as he approached the door, opened it, and walked inside. When he did however, he froze in wide eyed alarm. Every single shelf in the library was empty. Not a single book or scrap of paper remained. Xehanort staggered back in disbelief.

"No, she couldn't have." He muttered, looking around when his eye caught something on the large table. He looked and saw a small white card with a large letter "X" written on it. He arched a curious eyebrow and picked up the card. When he did however, it revealed a triangle with a large circle at each point, carved into the table and glowing red at the top, gold at the left and purple at the right. It was a Trinity Mark. Xehanort saw the Mark and quickly ducked for cover just as the Mark let out a beam of golden light before exploding.

"_I suppose you think you're very clever, Xehanort." _A hologram of Millicent said, standing aside the table. Xehanort scowled and started climbing to his feet.

"_I suspected you might return. I took the liberty of hiding my books. Don't bother searching the house for them, they're hidden in a place you will never find them. They will be found, for sure, but not by you. They will return when a King shrouded in Darkness, a Darkness in Zero, finds this place and calls it his home." _Millicent's hologram said, confident in her prophecy. Xehanort snarled at the hologram.

"_Yes, I remember our previous conversations, Xehanort. About the cause of the Keyblade War. The answer was in those books. Your ambition, coupled with your ravenous hunger for answers screams to me that you are a threat. Possibly even the source of the Darkness I mean to prevent arriving in these worlds! And so, I left this message for you…and these Displaced to keep you occupied."_ Millicent's hologram said before disappearing. Xehanort angrily swung his Keyblade upwards through the hologram.

"Conniving old witch." Xehanort hissed before hearing the sound of breaking glass downstairs. (Battle Music Cue: Tension Rising – KH2) He quickly hurried out of the foyer to find a group of Second and Minute Displaced stampeding towards him. He snarled and put his hand behind his back while holding his Keyblade at his side.

"BEGONE!" he roared, thrusting his Keyblade towards the approaching Displaced, sending a Blizzaga shard slicing through the Displaced, destroying a small group headed towards him. He started to walk, confidently, down the stairs, his Keyblade in hand as more Displaced started swarming into the foyer. He stopped at the landing and towards the center of the foyer.

"Useless pests." He grumbled, pointing his Keyblade towards the Displaced, sweeping it across in front of him, marking his targets for a shot lock. As he was still lining them up, a Corridor of Darkness suddenly opened behind him that he noticed. He quickly leapt up and forward, landing in the center of the foyer, quickly slashing through the approaching Displaced.

"Guard!" he yelled, throwing up a Guard Wall with his free hand, glancing towards where he had been standing. He looked to see the Traveler emerging from the Corridor, his hands behind his back.

"Ah I see mine and Millicent's hunch was correct. We both thought you would come here to try and take Millicent's books. Good to see that a Keyblade Master such as yourself can be so easily predicted. This should make our job so much easier." The Traveler commenting as Xehanort snarled at him, sweeping his Keyblade across at the Displaced scratching at his guard wall, while still keeping his hand outstretched to keep it up.

"Predictable perhaps, but unstoppable!" Xehanort replied dropping his shield just as a large number of glowing blue bolts of energy appeared in the air around him, all aimed towards the Displaced. The bolts suddenly launched into the Foyer, smashing through the Displaced, leaving none of them behind. (End Battle Music).

"Now then, for you." Xehanort said, turning towards the Traveler who turned while looking towards him, descending the staircase.

"Oh come now. There's no reason for us to fight. I believe Master Millicent's efforts to find the Tempest might be beneficial to all of us, for our own reasons. You might even achieve your goals if you help us." The Traveler said as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow.

"Oh? And what would you know of my goals?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler moved to the center of the foyer, looking over the broken display.

"Enough to know that Millicent fears you. She fears your ambition, your drive, your hunger for knowledge. So much so that she spent the past few days hiding her library from you. That says something." The Traveler said as Xehanort started to circle him.

"I will admit, my goals are my own, and Millicent's apparent betrayal of her oath does present a unique opportunity to forward my own. Yet she's cut off my one avenue for continuing my research. With her library hidden away, I'm cut off from the answers and the fact that she hid her library suggests that the answers are within those books. This does annoy me, greatly." Xehanort said as the Traveler simply stood, watching Xehanort circle him.

"Then what if I told you that there are two options now that could, potentially, allow you to further your goals, whatever they are." The Traveler said as Xehanort narrowed his gaze at him.

"Go on." He said. The Traveler turned towards him.

"I warn you, both options will put you into direct conflict with Master Millicent, and possibly with your friends as well. I doubt that Millicent's sister and her fiancé will appreciate a change of loyalties from you." The Traveler said as Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow.

"You let me worry about Eraqus and Lillian. Now, what are the options?" he asked. The Traveler put his hands behind his back.

"The first option I will give you freely, the second I shall withhold for the time being. The first option, is to join the search for the Tempest." The Traveler explained.

"And how would the Tempest further my goals?" Xehanort asked but the Traveler started laughing.

"An excellent question. I myself only know bits and pieces of what the Tempest does. Presumably, it allows those not gifted with the Foretellers' vision to see the Future, only without any confusion, without any nuance or interpretation." The Traveler explained.

"The future doesn't concern me. The answers to my questions lie in the past." Xehanort replied as the Traveler gave a nod.

"I would be willing to bet that the Tempest would allow you to see into the past as well. The future, though, should concern you." The Traveler replied. Xehanort looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Perhaps. But what of you? What do you get out of this?" Xehanort asked. The Traveler started to walk towards the door to the dining room, walking inside with Xehanort behind him.

"My goals are aligned, mostly, with Master Millicent's. She seeks the Tempest to determine the cause of a supposed darkness that would consume the worlds. I seek that as well." The Traveler said.

"You seek the cause of this Darkness? But do you seek to erase it, or perhaps ensure it?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler turned towards him.

"The prophecies of a Foreteller are often considered to be destiny, are they not? What purpose would it serve to try and stop her if this is true?" the Traveler replied. Xehanort looked at him skeptically.

"I would say you seek to ensure it. Don't think I didn't notice your arriving here through a Corridor of Darkness." Xehanort said as the Traveler laughed.

"You clearly don't know much about the Darkness. Of course, you still wear Keyblade Armor when traveling the Lanes Between, do you not? Allow me to share something that might interest you. This coat I wear is not just for comfort or to disguise my identity, which it does like a dream. No, this coat protects the wearer from the Darkness. Much like Keyblade Armor, only without the obvious combat benefits." The Traveler explained as Xehanort looked the coat over.

"Does it? I have heard of garments such as this. I didn't believe they existed." Xehanort said as the Traveler chuckled.

"Unsurprising, but I believe you will eventually become quite familiar with them in time." The Traveler said, standing with his back towards Xehanort.

"And you have dodged the question. Do you seek to prevent the Darkness in Millicent's visions, or ensure it?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler turned towards him.

"And I will dodge the question again. Some things need to be learned on their own…the hard way." The Traveler said as Xehanort scowled at him.

"Then draw whatever weapon you prefer, and learn why it is unwise to get in my way." Xehanort said. The Traveler laughed in delight, vanishing in a brief black haze and reappearing with the dining room table between them. (Battle Music Cue: A Fight to the Death – KH2)

"I hoped it would come to this. I've been anxious to test your mettle in battle." The Traveler said, raising his right hand towards Xehanort. His hand crackled with black energy for a moment before summoning a long katana blade with a two-handed black grip and no guard. The sight of this made Xehanort narrow his gaze a little.

"That sword…is that what I think it is?" Xehanort asked, earning a menacing chuckle from the Traveler.

"What do you think?" he asked back before raising his left hand which became encased in a monstrous black hand made of dark purple energy with bright orange cracks on it coming from the forearms. Xehanort stood ready with his Keyblade resting at his side. The Traveler suddenly pointed his clawed hand at him, firing off a Dark Firaga straight towards Xehanort but the Keyblade Master narrowed his eyes at him.

"Guard!" he yelled, conjuring a Guard Wall just in time, deflecting the spell towards the ceiling, striking the chandelier at the base, causing the chandelier to fall and smash through the table, splitting it in half. Xehanort retaliated with a lightning fast charge towards the Traveler but the Traveler quickly vanished in a dark haze, reappearing near the door back out into the foyer. Xehanort turned and ran after him, the Traveler quickly moving the fight back into the foyer. As Xehanort emerged into the foyer, he quickly had to dodge a swing from the Traveler, narrowly avoiding it. Xehanort retaliated, spinning around towards him with a swing but the Traveler narrowly dodged, bending backwards just in time to avoid Xehanort's Keyblade. The Traveler took a swing at Xehanort with his clawed hand but Xehanort blocked with a blue bolt-like blade of energy in his off hand. The blade pressing against the palm of the hand, sparks of blue and purple energy flying off as they pressed against each other.

"Making me use my ethereal blades already? I suppose I should be impressed." Xehanort muttered.

"The fact you use them at all impresses me." The Traveler replied, the two leaping away from each other.

"I find it foolish to rely on a single weapon or tool." Xehanort said, pointing his Keyblade at the Traveler.

"Why use one tool when you can use several?" the Traveler retorted, pointing his sword at Xehanort while earning a slight smirk from him.

"It seems we are of like mind on this one." He replied, conjuring a whole host of blue Ethereal Blades into the air around him.

"You don't know the half of it." The Traveler muttered as a fiery red magic circle appeared in the air just over his left shoulder, pointed towards Xehanort. Xehanort suddenly fired off his Shot lock but the bolts were shot out of the air by a series of thin red beams fired from the magic circle. Xehanort snarled as he conjured more bolts, continuing the barrage as it gradually began to overtake the Traveler's beam attack. Finally the Traveler let out a growl of frustration.

"Enough!" he roared, conjuring a guard wall of his own, only his was round as opposed to the rectangular one Xehanort used. The bolts from the shot lock impacting the shield as the magic circle glowed brighter. Xehanort noticed this and quickly raised a guard wall in time to block a single concentrated beam from the magic circle. Xehanort growled as he had to keep his wall raised, the beam starting to crack it. The beam suddenly vanished just as the Traveler came charging forward, leaping forward with his sword raised. Xehanort quickly dropped his wall and dashed clear of the Traveler's attack, both men spinning towards one another and locking blades.

"Very impressive, Xehanort, you're proving more of a challenge than expected!" the Traveler said as he and Xehanort exchanged blows.

"You're no match for the power of a Keyblade Master." Xehanort stated as they locked blades again.

"Dually noted. But this isn't the first time I've crossed swords with a Keyblade Master. But you seem to be a special case." The Traveler said before both men leapt back.

"I take it Millicent had some opposition to you, given you seem to favor the Darkness." Xehanort said as the Traveler looked at his clawed hand.

"Oh she did. Made quite the ruckus, but she calmed down eventually." The Traveler said before lowering his clawed hand, pointing it towards the floor, the claw extending down into the floor. Xehanort sensed something was wrong right away and quickly spun around with a swing in time to slash through the palm of an enlarged clawed hand growing from the floor. Xehanort continued his spin back towards the front in time to block a blow from the Traveler. Xehanort snarled at him before launching him backwards.

"Hmm. Not bad. But then this was only round one." The Traveler said as Xehanort lunged towards him, attempting to run him through.

"You're not going anywhere!" Xehanort said but the Traveler vanished in another dark haze, reappearing on the second floor of the foyer. (End Battle Music).

"No, I am. Congratulations, Master Xehanort. You've won this round. I concede this fight. But then this was just something I've wanted to do for some time." The Traveler said as Xehanort spun towards him.

"Then you should learn that getting between me and my goals is a poor choice, as you've just experienced." Xehanort said as the Traveler chuckled.

"Indeed. But then we both know that killing me would've been counterproductive, considering I still know that second means of acquiring the knowledge that you seek." The Traveler said as Xehanort snarled.

"Which is something you will give me, now." Xehanort commanded but the Traveler put his hands behind his back.

"Eventually, but not now. First I want to see how badly you really want it. They say that patience is a virtue. Good things come to those who wait? Oh there's so many of those worthless platitudes but you get the idea." The Traveler mentioned.

"You realize it's only a matter of time before Millicent discovers you wield the Darkness, and when she does…" Xehanort said as the Traveler chuckled a little.

"Then it is a race against time. Will you be the one to wring those secrets from me, or will I be taking them to my grave? Or, perhaps, do I have a backup plan? The tedium of such details. Boring, but worth it." the Traveler asked as Xehanort glared at him.

"Then tell me, where is the Tempest?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler laughed with delight.

"Ah so now he's interested in finding the Tempest! And yet he overlooks one ever important detail. We're still searching for it too. But, I will give you a hint. Seek out the Displaced, and where they appear, you may find a clue as to where the Tempest can be found. Or maybe you'll find it before we do, who knows?" the Traveler said as a Corridor of Darkness opened behind him.

"Then you can expect some earnest competition for the Tempest, and I will find it first." Xehanort said.

"Then may the best man win." He replied, turning and entering the Corridor that closed behind him. Xehanort sneered towards where he had been standing. He then turned and started for the front doors, exiting the mansion. Xehanort seemed to be lost in thought as he made his way outside the gates of the Mansion. He then happened a glance towards the sky and noticed three stars all twinkling brighter than the rest.

"I will find the answers. I will know what caused the Keyblade War. And it seems that the Tempest is but one means of finding it out." Xehanort said, reaching for his belt and activating his armor before summoning his Keyblade Glider. He then took off for the skies, flying straight up and disappearing into the Lanes Between.

…

The world started to fade away, the library in the Land of Departure returning. As soon as it did, Terra leapt from his seat and stormed out of the room, Axel following close behind.

"Terra? Axel? What is it? What's wrong?" Aqua asked as Ven stood up.

"Aqua, that weapon the Traveler wielded, that sword…it was the same one used by someone who attacked us just recently." Ven said, a look of worry on his face.

"What?" Aqua asked, quietly alarmed by the news.

"While you and Sora were in the Forgotten Worlds, Terra, Kairi, Axel, and I were attacked by some hooded assailant wielding a sword just like that. Whoever he was, he beat all four of us singlehandedly. He only fled when Riku and Xenix, Nixe's Nobody, showed up." Ven explained as Aqua rose to her feet.

"You're sure that's the sword he used?" Aqua asked as Ven gave a nod with a look of visible discomfort at the memory. Aqua started immediately for the door to the Library, following Terra and Axel into the Throne Room where Terra stood near the center, his fists cliched at his sides. Axel stood just over his shoulder, Terra muttering something to him that only they could hear. Axel finally gave a nod and turned away towards Aqua and Ven.

"If you don't mind taking a short break, Superior needs me to run an errand. I'll be back soon. Don't continue without me. Got it memorized?" Axel asked, pulling his hood up and disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. Aqua watched Axel leave before turning towards Terra.

"Terra, what's this about some hooded attacker with that sword?" Aqua asked. Terra turned towards Aqua with a look of frustration and anger on his face.

"It's not the same person who attacked us." Terra said as Aqua looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The Traveler, he's not the same one who attacked us in Twilight Town. But I'd bet anything that he's somehow connected to the one who did." Terra said as Ven nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. The voice is different." Ven added.

"And that's just for starters. His whole fighting style is wrong too…or at least different from what we encountered." Terra said as Aqua seemed disconcerted.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Aqua asked.

"We forgot." Ven muttered sheepishly.

"We were distracted by more pressing matters at the time. Such as coming to your aid against the Sisterhood of Seven. We told Master Yen Sid about it though." Terra replied.

"And now Master Yen Sid is fully retired and nowhere to be found, along with any reference materials he might've had." Aqua said, worriedly.

"Then maybe we should go to Disneylahn and see if there's anything left." Terra replied.

"That might be a good idea." Aqua said as Ven gave a nod.

"Yeah, it might be a good idea to grab the book and the Arcana Librium and bring it along too." Ven said as Aqua nodded.

"Good idea. I'll get those, you and Terra go on ahead. Oh and we better leave a note for Axel." Aqua said, Terra and Ven both nodding and hurrying for the door.

"I can tell him via D-Link. We'll see you there, Aqua." Terra said as they ran off. Aqua watched them leave before turning and heading back for the library. As she did, she pulled out her lucky charm from inside her sleeve.

"_Riku, just in case you need myself, Terra, or Ven, we're headed to Master Yen Sid's home." _Aqua said to Riku via D-Link, not expecting a reply. She was mildly startled when, as she was picking up Master Lillian's book, Riku replied.

"_Sounds serious. What's going on?" _he asked.

"_We've been reading from the tome of a Keyblade Master from when Master Eraqus was an Apprentice. There are some things we want to verify so we're headed to Yen Sid's home to do that."_ Aqua replied.

"_Keep me updated. Sora's…well he's still kinda messed up right now." _Riku said as Aqua carried the Arcana Librium outside, the Book of Lillian under her other arm.

"_I will, I promise. Sora needs you more right now. He needs Kairi too. Do you think Axel might be a good choice to help?" _Aqua asked.

"_He can't hurt, but if he's being helpful to you guys, then-…"_ Riku said as Aqua tapped her armor guard, summoning her Keyblade Armor and Keyblade Glider.

"_Understood. When we're done, we'll all drop by to check up on him and also share what we've learned." _Aqua replied.

"_He'll like that._" Riku replied as Aqua took to the stars, headed straight for the Castle Disneylahn.

* * *

**End Chapter 9**

Who is the Traveler, really? What are his plans for the Tempest? Is this where Xehanort turns bad? Find out in the chapters to come.

It's also safe to say that Xehanort is using Xemnas's Ethereal Blades, specifically the Sanction type Ethereal Blades from 358/2 Days. This is just a cosmetic difference though but the use of the Ethereal Blades is a nod to Xehanort's future Nobody. There'll be a few other references to his future Heartless and Nobodies for sure.

But the next chapter will begin our first round of Disney themed worlds. Which worlds will we see? Well they may surprise you.


	10. The Castle, The Wizard, and the Wart

The grand castle of Disneylahn, a tall and majestic grey Castle resting in the light of a setting sun. It looked just as it did over thirty years ago. Aqua, Terra and Ven stood just outside the old castle. Up until recently it had been a lonely tower on an equally lonely island in the middle of a rainbow sea. Now it was a massive castle.

"It's like we were just here, and yet…" Ven muttered as they marveled up at it.

"I know." Terra remarked in awe.

"Come on. Let's go inside. We're not going to learn more about it just standing outside." Aqua said as they started to make their way towards the castle. Soon they were walking through and marveling at the very halls their predecessors walked in. Soon they entered the throne room, the same faded and tattered party decorations still hanging in place. It was exactly like it had appeared in Lillian's tome.

"It's a little dusty but she seems in good shape." Aqua commented as she looked over the thrones.

"Planning on buying the place?" Terra asked as Aqua paused.

"It's…a possibility." She replied with a small smile, turning towards them.

"This world, it's supposed to be a world renowned for its magic. It's a place I've wanted to see for a long time. And maybe this is an opportunity. Maybe it's time we moved on from the Land of Departure. We've all grown a lot since that time all those years ago. We've all lost ten whole years of our lives. Dreams and desires we might've had then…they've changed so drastically now. Am I wrong?" Aqua asked as Terra and Ven looked at each other with slightly sad expressions before looking at her.

"Yeah, I get what you mean. I didn't even have any real long term plans to speak of. I still don't to be honest." Ven said as Terra sighed, running his hand over the arm of the center throne.

"I had dreams of becoming a Keyblade Master, but then…and now my dreams are definitely different. I don't care about mastery anymore. I've got new dreams now." Terra said as Aqua smiled at them both.

"We can talk about this later. For now, let's get back to Master Lillian, and see what happened all those years ago." Aqua said, setting the Arcana Librium down with the Book of Lillian resting on it, positioning both in the center in front of the thrones.

"Hold on, where's Axel?" Ven asked, confused, looking around for the absent Flurry of the Dancing Flames.

"He'll catch up. He knows where we are." Terra replied, earning a curious look from Ven.

"Alright." Ven replied, a little unsure but he and Terra both sat down on the floor around the Arcana Librium while Aqua sat down in the left-most throne before starting the next chapter. The world around them darkened and faded to black before a new world began to appear in its place…

…

The world was a dense forest, sparsely lit due to the trees. A bright flash of light heralded Eraqus's arrival to the world, the young Apprentice looking around for any signs of the Displaced but didn't see any.

"Guess this world's alright." He muttered to himself as he started to pass through the woods, looking around for any sign of civilization. He didn't realize he was being watched though by the Traveler. Without a word, the Traveler snapped his fingers, summoning a pair of floating gold and purple spherical Displaced to his side. They had glowing purple eyes and serrated maws and resembled the Darkball Heartless. The Traveler merely pointed towards Eraqus and the Hour type Displaced vanished in small puffs of golden sands.

Eraqus was quietly passing through the woods, looking around. He finally spotted a quiet little house with a thatched roof ahead, sitting quietly in the woods. Smoke coming from the chimney implied someone was home.

"As good a place as any to ask directions." Eraqus said to himself and started to approach the door. As he approached, the door opened from the other side, revealing an old man in blue clothes and a conical blue hat. He had a long white beard and small glasses resting on his nose.

"Ah welcome my boy, come in, come in, don't be shy. I've been expecting you." The man said as Eraqus looked at him curiously.

"You were expecting me?" he asked, confused as he approached the house.

"Why yes of course. You're right on time for tea." The man replied as Eraqus stepped inside. The house was filled to the brim with books, alchemical tools and devices, little knickknacks, and other items. In the center was a table with a full tea setting.

"Do you know me somehow?" Eraqus asked as the man sat down at the table.

"No can't say that I do, but I was expecting you. Come, come, sit down. There's a good lad." The man said as Eraqus shrugged and sat down, looking around.

"Now then, my name is Merlin, and you are?" the man introduced as Eraqus cleared his throat.

"Eraqus." He replied as Merlin poured them both some tea.

"Ah, now where have I heard that name before? Oh yes, you must be one of Yen Sid's lads." Merlin said as Eraqus blinked in surprise.

"You know Master Yen Sid?" Eraqus asked.

"Oh yes. Jolly good chap. A great sorcerer and an even better party thrower. Ha-ha! Why, you were never at the Party of the Centuries, were you?" Merlin asked but Eraqus shook his head.

"It was before my time, I'm afraid." Eraqus said but Merlin laughed again.

"Oh my boy, you don't miss the Party of the Centuries. You simply don't get invited. I also hear you're that gremlin Shantotto's favorite student. Don't worry though, we're not enemies in the factional sense, but rivals in a more professional matter. But enough about that, we are expecting another guest to drop in for tea any moment now. He seems to be a bit late though." Merlin said, checking a pocket watch. Eraqus noticed there was another chair and tea cup standing by and waiting for an unnamed third person.

"You know who that is?" Eraqus asked but Merlin shrugged.

"Afraid not, my boy. I just know they're due here any time." Merlin said as Eraqus glanced away.

"Yeah well time hasn't been behaving itself as of late." Eraqus muttered.

"Oh? It hasn't?" Merlin asked, looking at his watch curiously for a moment before tapping it on the end of the desk.

"Oh dear, it's stopped." Merlin said as he showed Eraqus the watch. The arms were twitching and glowing with a purple and gold twinkling to it. Eraqus recognized this instantly.

"They're here." He said as he leapt to his feet. Merlin seemed confused.

"Oh is our guest here?" he asked. (Battle Music Cue: The Rustling Forest – BBS) They then heard a commotion outside. Eraqus hurried outside to find a young boy in red clothes with short blond hair clinging onto a tree branch hanging over Merlin's house while a small swarm of Displaced snapped at him from underneath. Eraqus summoned his Keyblade which started to glow with a white aura. He then took a swing at the Displaced, launching a sudden volley of chains made of light towards the Displaced, the chains smashing through most of them before the chains vanished. The Displaced turned their attention towards Eraqus.

"That's right, focus on me you grainy beasts." He mumbled as the remaining Displaced started coming towards him. At the same time a swirling gold and purple portal opened, allowing more Displaced to pour through. Eraqus began cutting through them quickly, trying to keep the Displaced away from the hut and the boy.

"Stay where you are kid! Don't come down!" Eraqus yelled, the boy holding onto the branch for dear life.

"I won't!" he replied as Eraqus leapt into the center of the crowd and cast a Reflega, letting the Displaced attack and strike the shield. The resulting burst of magic bolts obliterated a fair number of them.

"En-Light!" Eraqus declared, raising his Keyblade which started to glow with a crisp white light. He then began to swing at the Displaced, each swing creating lens flares in the air, his Keyblade now infused with light magic. The Displaced kept coming despite his attacks but he knew what he was doing. Every strike with the light infused Keyblade caused the Displaced hit by it to explode in a burst of light, killing it instantly. Finally after a few strikes, Eraqus was glowing with a similar light.

"Now you're in for it!" he declared before streaks of light started rising from his back, shoulders, forearms, and Keyblade. He had entered his unique Tier-1 Command Style: Hikari. Eraqus was now moving faster than before, slicing through Displaced slightly faster than they could arrive. The boy watched from the branches with wonder.

"Whoa." He remarked, watching Eraqus cutting down Displaced. Finally Eraqus paused, a bright light sweeping over him as his Command Style reached its peak. He proceeded to leap back and into the air, pointing his Keyblade straight into the air overhead, a bright orb of light appearing over the tip. With a loud battle cry, the orb began firing a barrage of Light Orbs at the Displaced, obliterating small groups at a time until they'd been beaten back to the portal. Eraqus then dropped down to the ground, his Command Style expended but he quickly pointed his Keyblade at the portal, firing a beam of blue light at the portal, the beam closing the portal before any more Displaced could come through (End Battle Music). Eraqus took a moment to glare at the spot where the portal had been, resting his Keyblade on his shoulder, wondering where the Displaced had come from. He then heard a startled yelp from above and spun around in time to see the boy in the tree fall right through the roof of Merlin's home.

"Well! You did drop in for tea after all." Merlin commented from inside. Eraqus hurried inside to find the boy had landed in the chair meant for him at the tea table.

"Everyone in here alright?" Eraqus asked, dismissing his Keyblade.

"Oh yes-yes we're fine, my boy. I was just saying to uh…to uh…oh dear, what was your name young man?" Merlin asked as the boy looked around in awe of the odd furnishings of the house.

"Uh, Arthur, but everyone calls me Wart." The boy replied, still a little bewildered.

"Ah, yes. My name is Merlin and I've been expecting you." Merlin said as he poured the boy some tea.

"You knew I was coming? How?" Wart asked.

"Good question. He knew I was coming before I did." Eraqus said.

"How did I know you ask? Why I happen to be a Wizard, my boy! A Soothsayer! A Prognosticator! I have been to the future my lad, centuries into the future!" Merlin declared, awing Wart but earning a curious look from Eraqus.

"A foreteller?" he asked, earning a curious look from Merlin.

"A what-what? Oh mercy, no! I don't have that kind of power, my boy! Just the benefit of experiencing the future first hand! Now then, what were those little beasts that attacked poor Wart here?" Merlin asked as Eraqus scratched the back of his head.

"It's hard to explain, but you might want to consider moving somewhere safer. The Displaced may come again. They're seeking something called the Tempest." Eraqus said as Merlin scratched his beard.

"The Tempest? Hmm, I've never heard of anything like that before…well I know of a play by that name but the bard hasn't written it yet." Merlin said, picking up a cane and turning towards Wart.

"Now then, let's learn more about you young Wart. What sort of schooling do you have, hmm?" Merlin asked.

"Oh, well I'm training to be a Squire sir. I'm learning the rules of combat, and swordsmanship, and jousting and swordsmanship." Wart replied as Merlin nodded in seeming approval.

"Yes-yes very go-…oh no-no-no I mean a real education! Mathematics, history, biology, natural science, English, Latin, French! You can't grow up without a decent education! Isn't that right, Eraqus my boy?" Merlin asked as Eraqus gave a slight shrug and a nod.

"That's true." Eraqus replied. Wart then stood up.

"Oh but I need to get back to the castle. I'll be needed in the kitchens." Wart said as Merlin cleared his throat.

"Oh, well then we'll pack and be on our way!" Merlin said, picking up a large canvas bag and opening it. Eraqus and Wart both watched curiously as Merlin stepped up onto a footstool, tapping it with his cane (Music Cue: Higitus Figitus – Disney's Sword in the Stone).

""Higitus Figitus zumba-bazing, I want your attention everything!" Merlin announced, all of the objects in the house strangely turning to face him, quietly surprising Eraqus and Wart.

"We're packing to leave come on let's go. No-no, not you, books are always the first you know!" Merlin said as the books started to float in the air, lining up as they started to move towards the bag, shrinking down very small to fit in the bag. Eraqus noticed one of the last book had a depiction of a yellow bear in a red shirt on it but paid it no mind.

"_Hockety pockety wockety wack!  
Abracabra dabra nack!  
Shrink in size very small,  
we've got to save enough room for all!  
Higitus Figitus migitus mum,  
pres-ti-dig-i-ton-i-um!"_

Merlin chanted, the books continuing to flow into his bag, the tableware and other small objects starting to follow along close behind…

"_Cicero you belong in the 'C's,'  
alphabetical order please!  
Ali-i-ca-fez bal-a-ca-zez,  
malacamez meripides!  
Diminish, diminish dictionary.  
That word's in your vocabulary!  
Hockety pockety wockety wack,  
that's the way we've got to pack!"_

Merlin chanted, not noticing the sugar bowl starting to rudely butt in front of the rest of the tea set, creating a small traffic jam.

"Uh, Merlin!" Eraqus called out, pointing out the jam. Merlin noticed and hurried towards it.

"Oh stop-stop-stop! Sugar bowl you're getting rough! That poor old tea set's cracked enough!" Merlin warned, the sugar bowl backing down. Merlin then cleared his throat.

"Let's start again. Higitus Figit-uh-oh. Where was I?" Merlin asked, scratching his head.

"Uh, Hockety Pockety?" Wart replied, unsure of his own answer. Eraqus just shrugged. Merlin however smiled approvingly.

"Oh yes-yes, that's right!" He then raised his cane and began to chant again…

"_Hockety pockety wockety wack,  
odds and ends and bric-a-brac!  
Higitus Figitus migitus mum,  
pres-ti-dig-i-ton-i-um!  
Higitus Figitus migitus mum,  
pres-ti-dig-i-ton-i-um!"_

Now the furniture was shrinking down and lining up, the chain of belongings moving faster into the bag.

"Ah now this is the best part now! Here we go!" Merlin said, standing atop the footstool.

"_Higitus Figitus migitus mum,  
pres-ti-dig-i-ton-i-um!  
Higitus Figitus migitus mum,  
pres-ti-dig-i-ton-i-WHOOP!"_

Merlin yelped as the footstool flew out from beneath him, shrinking down and falling into the bag which closed immediately afterwards. Eraqus and Wart looked around in surprise at the now completely empty house around them. Eraqus let out an impressed whistle.

"I've gotta remember that one." He commented.

"Ah there we go. Now then. Let us be off now. Mustn't keep you from your kitchen duties, young Wart. Oh, what about you Eraqus? Will you be joining us perhaps?" Merlin asked as he picked up his bag.

"Afraid not. I was just passing through." Eraqus replied.

"It's a good thing you did too, my boy. Those little beasts would've caused problems for sure. But you needn't worry about us. I'll see Wart back to his castle alright and make sure he gets a proper education." Merlin said as Eraqus smiled and nodded.

"Alright then. I best be on my way then." Eraqus said as they paraded out of the house.

"I hope we'll see each other again sometime in the future, young man. Farewell!" Merlin called as he and Wart started down a path through the forest. Eraqus watching them leave.

"What kind of sword was that guy carrying, Merlin?" Wart asked as they walked away.

"Oh that was a Keyblade my boy, but best not worry yourself too much about it right now. You've far more important things to learn first." Merlin replied. Eraqus chuckled in amusement. Before he could start into the woods on his own, he heard a strange sound behind him and turned to look into the house. He looked to see the Traveler leaning with his back against the opposite wall of Merlin's House, his arms crossed over his chest. Eraqus blinked in alarm before quickly dropping into his fighting stance, Keyblade in hand.

"At least we finally get to meet, Eraqus." The Traveler said in an annoyed tone.

"You! You're the one who sent the Displaced after that boy!" Eraqus said as the Traveler glared at him.

"Oh please, if it makes you feel any better, the Displaced weren't after the boy. They were after you. They just got distracted." The Traveler replied.

"What do you want with me then?" Eraqus asked as the Traveler stood up off the wall, his hands at his sides.

"I want to rip you apart and send you plummeting into Darkness. But as much as I might want to, I can't. You've a role to play and I can't go recasting the parts very easily." The Traveler said as Eraqus scowled at him.

"What do you mean?" Eraqus asked. The Traveler turned away and started to walk towards the empty fireplace.

"Master Millicent believes I am here to help her locate the Tempest. She's right to a point. Having access to the Tempest would be beneficial. Fortunately I know enough about the future that I know a few of the major players. I just need to put them on the board." The Traveler explained, Eraqus keeping his Keyblade pointed towards him.

"And who are these major players?" Eraqus asked.

"That's an excellent question, Eraqus. Who indeed? I guess you could say they're on a bit of a hit list of mine." The Traveler said as Eraqus snarled.

"I won't let you hurt anyone! I swear it!" Eraqus warned but the Traveler laughed.

"Then you best be ready for disappointment." He said before vanishing in a Corridor of Darkness. Eraqus scowled and hit his armor piece, summoning his armor before charging into the still open Corridor, the Corridor closing and leaving the house empty once again. The world then began to fade away, the chapter concluded.

"Is it just me or does Merlin not look any different then than he does now?" Ven asked as Aqua gave a nod.

"Yeah, he hasn't changed at all." Aqua replied, quietly surprised at the old wizard's longevity.

"Looks pretty spry for an old guy." Axel said, startling everyone.

"Axel! When did you get here?!" Ven asked. Axel was standing just next to Terra with his arms crossed.

"Not long after you started the chapter. By the way, next time you guys start without me, someone's losing their eyebrows. Got it memorized?" Axel said as Terra climbed to his feet.

"It was my suggestion to start without you and it looks like you didn't miss much." Terra said as Axel gave a slight shrug.

"The important part was that last bit anyway, I'd say. By the way, I finished that errand for you." Axel said, as Terra turned towards him.

"What did you send him to do?" Aqua asked.

"Terra sent me to go speak to Ansem the Wise about Lillian. He didn't seemed too pleased to hear her name though. His reaction kinda threw me for a loop too." Axel replied as Ven and Aqua rose to their feet.

"What did he say?" Ven asked. Axel's expression darkened a little.

"Murder."

* * *

**End Chapter 10**

And this is the first of the Disney worlds. The Sword in the Stone world, known as Camelot. The song above was "Higitus Figitus" from Disney's Sword in the Stone. I do not own the song.


	11. The Mouse Who Would Be King

"What?" Axel asked as he stood before Ansem the Wise. They were within Ansem's study within the castle at Radiant Garden. Even, Ienzo, Dilan, and Aeleus were also present, similarly startled by Ansem's response.

"The name, Lillian, is one I haven't heard in a long time. It must've been about thirty years or so since I met her. But whenever I hear the name, I remember her appearance was the first of a series of events that ended in a murder within Radiant Garden." Ansem explained as Axel seemed surprised.

"My lord, with all due respect, but what murder are you talking about?" Ienzo asked as Ansem furrowed his brow in thought.

"It was before your time, Ienzo. Just before I took on Dilan, Even, and Aeleus, plus Braig as my initial apprentices." Ansem replied as Axel glanced their way.

"We're talking thirty years ago. Would've involved a woman with an accent, brown hair, and a Keyblade. Any of you guys commit anything from back then to memory?" Axel asked, looking at the former Organization XIII members.

"We would've been mere children then." Even replied.

"I vaguely remember those times." Dilan added as Axel sighed.

"You're really bumming me out here." He muttered.

"What prompted this questioning, Axel?" Ienzo asked, curiously.

"Master Yen Sid had me deliver an old Master's Tome to Aqua, Ven, and Superior before the old man retired. They were nice enough to let me sit in on part of the story. Apparently, something happened in the worlds thirty years ago involving Master Eraqus, this Lillian woman, and even Xehanort before he went all dark and betraying-like. Got it memorized?" Axel asked as Ansem shook his head.

"I'm afraid my memory doesn't serve me too well. I do know that the very mention of the name Lillian somehow reminds me of a murder that took place within Radiant Garden some thirty years ago." Ansem said before Aeleus stepped forward.

"Milord, wouldn't there be some kind of record in the archives?" Aeleus asked as Ansem looked at him with a look of realization and smiled warmly.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Dilan, Aeleus, go to the archive room and see if you can find the records of a murder said to have taken place around thirty years ago. Ienzo, Even, check the computer and see if there is any information stored there as well." Ansem instructed, all four of his apprentices bowing and departing to carry out his orders. Ansem then looked to Axel as he rose to his feet.

"Guess I'll be heading back to rejoin the others. If they find anything, tell them to head to the train station in Twilight Town. We'll meet them there." Axel said, turning towards the door.

"Before you go, I have but one question to ask you, personally. As a king to his subject, why don't you come back to us? Why don't you remain here, in your homeworld?" Ansem asked, Axel pausing with his back turned him.

"Don't take it the wrong way. I'm not one to rip on this place. But I've got nothing to keep me here. No reason to stay. Out there though, I've got a reason. A guy with spiky hair and big feet gave me a reason to get out there. Besides, this isn't my home. It's Lea's home, and I'm not Lea. Nah, my home is wherever my friends are." Axel explained before turning towards Ansem who seemed to be smiling understandingly and acceptingly.

"Got it memorized?" Axel asked, tapping his head with a grin before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness.

**…**

Back in Disneylahn, Axel was still grinning as he finished recounting his conversation with Ansem to Aqua, Ven, and Terra.

"That's kinda concerning. A murder in Radiant Garden that took place around the same time Master Lillian showed up?" Ven asked as Axel gave a worried nod.

"Yeah, I know. Don't suppose it was Lillian who got axed do you?" Axel asked but Terra shook his head.

"No. It'd have been impossible. She wouldn't have been able to write the book, and Aqua, Ven, and I have very clear memories of having seen her during our training days. She couldn't have been the victim." Terra replied.

"Maybe…" Aqua said, a worried look on her face, everyone looking at her, "…maybe Lillian wasn't the one killed, but the one who did the killing."

There was an eerie silence in the old throne room.

"It…would explain why she went into exile." Terra muttered.

"And why she never attended any Meetings of the Masters with Master Eraqus, Xehanort, and Yen Sid at the same time." Aqua added.

"They might've gone after her had they known she was alive." Terra suggested.

"And Master Eraqus probably still had a flame for her so he wouldn't divulge her existence to them." Aqua added.

"But who did she kill…and why? It doesn't make any sense." Ven said.

"Maybe it's a frame up. I know I got pretty good at framing some of the members of Organization XIII for a few old pranks back in the day. By the way, Vexen looks hilarious bald, and Demyx had a lot more hair than he did when you saw him." Axel chuckled.

"Maybe Ansem's old records might have the answers." Terra suggested.

"But that could take them hours." Ven said but Aqua smiled a little.

"Well, we do have a great way to pass the time. And maybe that murder is explained in the book." Aqua suggested as Axel shrugged, moving to sit on the center throne.

"Dibs on the big chair." Axel said, sitting down as everyone did the same. Aqua then stretched out her hand towards the Arcana Librium, beginning the next chapter. It started with an image of Master Lillian on her dory, armored and sailing through the stars.

"_While Eraqus and Xehanort crossed blades with the Traveler and Ultimecia, my pursuit of Millicent led me to a world I'd only heard mention of in passing from Oswald. The place he called his home and the place that called him King…_

Lillian was perplexed as she found herself in a strange world with rolling hills and a long winding river. However, what perplexed her was the fact that there wasn't any color at all within the world. The entire world was completely monochrome. Even Lillian found all her own color had vanished.

"What a strange world." She commented to herself as she sailed down the river, bringing the boat in to dock at a pier next to a large wharf. As she tied off the boat, she noticed one of the world's residents was standing near the wharf. Suspecting something was wrong, she quietly turned towards her boat and raised a hand towards it. The boat then magically vanished into thin air, hidden by Lillian's spell. She then pulled up a hood attached to her jacket and started her way towards the figure. Her hood didn't completely obscure her face though.

"Hello there!" Lillian called, catching the attention of the figure. The figure was a short little creature, with a black body with two large round ears, a long and black tail, large feet inside of a pair of round shoes. His hands had three fingers and a thumb, both inside of a pair of white gloves. He also wore a pair of shorts with two large buttons on the front. On the whole, he resembled a large mouse.

"Oh, hello there!" the figure greeted as Lillian approached him, kneeling to his level.

"I'm new around here. I was wondering if you've seen anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Lillian asked as the figure pondered for a moment.

"Hmm…nope, sorry." The figure replied. Lillian gave an understanding nod.

"Right, thank you. I also don't suppose you could tell me where I am. I'm a little lost." Lillian said as the figure smiled and gave a nod.

"Why sure! You're in Timeless River." The figure said as Lillian blinked in surprise.

"Timeless River? Wait then that means this is…" Lillian said before remembering something, smiling at the thought.

"Something wrong?" the figure asked but Lillian smiled and shook her head.

"No, not at all. I just know someone from here." Lillian replied as the figure smiled at her.

"Welp, I best be going. Hope to see ya real-…" the figure said but was interrupted by someone screaming. (Battle Music Cue: Old Friends, Old Rivals – KH2) The figure spun around to see a pair of the world's residents, an anthropomorphic dog and an anthropomorphic duck, both running towards them as a small pack of Second Displaced chased after them.

"Uh-oh!" the Mouse yelped, quickly rushing to stand in between his friends and the approaching monsters. Before the Displaced could reach him however, he heard a gunshot and saw a fireball smash into the first of the Displaced, creating an explosion that obliterated a large swath of the Displaced approaching them but not all. Lillian then leapt in front of them, holding a flintlock-like weapon in her off hand. The flintlock looked like it was part of her Keyblade Armor and its hammer was designed like a Mark of Mastery.

"Stay back! I'll handle these things!" Lillian said as she summoned her Keyblade, standing at the ready to defend the others. The mouse noticed the Keyblade in her hand and his eyes widened in surprise. Lillian then launched forward with a lunge, skewering a Displaced on her Keyblade before starting to cut through the Displaced with the Keyblade. Without warning though, the Displaced turned and started running, causing Lillian to pause in confusion.

"Running away?" she asked before realizing something. She started chasing after the retreating Displaced, cutting down the ones she could catch.

"Hey! Wait!" the Mouse exclaimed, chasing after her. The dog and the duck saw him running away and blinked in alarm.

"Wak! Your majesty!" the Duck yelped. (End Battle Music).

"Wait for us!" the dog added, the two chasing after him. Meanwhile, Lillian chased the Displaced to a lonely pier where she quickly found the source of the Displaced and slid to a halt with a scowl. Before her was Ultimecia, holding her side and laboring to breathe, an angered expression on her face. The Displaced were swarming towards her.

"You?!" Lillian asked as Ultimecia glared at her in annoyance.

"How unsurprising to have one of you appear here and now." Ultimecia replied, holding out one hand towards the Displaced. The Displaced proceeded to explode into sand and start flowing into her waiting hand, dissolving upon contact. Ultimecia seemed to sigh with relief as they did. Lillian noticed this and arched a confused eyebrow.

"Are you…in pain?" Lillian asked. Ultimecia stood upright, extending her wings.

"This world is bathed in the light. Almost unnaturally so. And as you well know, Darkness cannot survive for long in a place like this. Fortunately, it seems the Displaced are not so vulnerable." Ultimecia explained as Lillian scowled at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The Displaced are neither Light nor Darkness. Time does not bend to either. And as the Displaced are born of neither, Light and Darkness does not bother them." Ultimecia said, absorbing more Displaced.

"But it does seem to bother you." Lillian said, attempting to see Ultimecia's future but was unable to, her eyes giving her a burning sensation upon trying, causing her to yelp, putting her hand to her eyes. Ultimecia chuckled menacingly.

"Fool. Attempting to see the future of one who hails from it is most unwise." Ultimecia said, crossing her arms over her chest. Lillian lowered her hand, glaring at Ultimecia.

"So you are from the future, and of the Darkness. What kind of horrors have my sister associated herself with? What does she stand to gain from aligning herself with the likes of you?!" Lillian asked. Ultimecia merely smiled darkly at her.

"She believes that she is using the Darkness as one would a poison. To understand it, to learn its weaknesses, so as to eventually kill it. It will be her undoing, and in the end, she will be the one that is used for Darkness." Ultimecia said but Lillian scowled and pointed her Keyblade at the villainess.

"Not if I can save her from herself…and the likes of you!" Lillian retorted before charging towards her but Ultimecia leapt clear, beginning to float atop a nearby tree.

"Did you think it would be so simple? To strike me down in such a weakened state? A locust like you should've known better." Ultimecia said tauntingly as the mouse, duck, and the dog arrived, freezing at the sight of the Time Witch.

"Whoa! Who is that?!" the dog asked. Ultimecia merely smiled darkly and pointed her clawed hand towards the ground, creating a swirling twister of sands (Battle Music Cue: Vim and Vigor – KH2).

"Long live the King." Ultimecia said towards the mouse who blinked in confusion. Ultimecia then vanished in a swirl of sands. The large twister of sand soon died down to reveal a massive and towering Displaced. It had the same general shape of a Darkside Heartless, but instead of the large empty Heart in its stomach, it was solid and had the hourglass insignia. It also didn't have the small wings or snake-like "hair" of the Darkside, instead having a single long strand down the back that seemed to flail about slightly on its own.

"Stay back! I'll handle this!" Lillian said as she dropped into her fighting stance. It resembled Aqua's only she held her Keyblade towards the front, and pointed upwards, similar to a fencer's dueling stance. She also held her flintlock pointed upwards, ready to use it at a moment's notice. The massive Week Displaced reared back a fist and punched the ground, creating a persistent cloud of sand that began to spawn numerous Second Displaced that started to scuttle towards them. Lillian sprung into action, lunging towards the fist, stabbing it with her Keyblade before leaping back and shooting a Firaga at it from her pistol. The Week let out a groan of pain and recoiled but the Seconds started charging towards her. Before she could react, the Mouse leapt into their path, its arms out to the sides.

"I'm not letting you fight for my home, not by yourself!" the Mouse replied as Lillian blinked in surprise.

"You're going to get yourself hurt!" she said but the Mouse suddenly thrust his left hand towards the Displaced, throwing a glowing pearl of Light Magic at the Displaced, destroying one of the Seconds, forcing the others to halt their advance and surprising Lillian.

"We can do this together!" the Mouse said, turning to smile at her over his shoulder. When he did, her eyes briefly glowed and she saw something that made her blink in surprise for a moment before smiling determinedly.

"Alright then. Together!" she said, thrusting her hand out to the side, summoning a large glowing blue-purple dome of hexagonal magic tiles to seal herself, the Mouse, and the Displaced within it while keeping the Dog and the Duck outside. Lillian and the Mouse quickly split off in opposite directions, Lillian barraging the Displaced with Blizzaga spells fired from her flintlock, and the Mouse throwing Pearls of Light, disorienting the Week. As Lillian circled around to the beast's right side, she saw its Hour Glass insignia starting to glow with purple energy. Realizing it was charging up for a powerful attack, she quickly turned towards the Mouse.

"En-Thunder!" she shouted, the Mouse suddenly gaining an electrical charge to his hands. He looked at his hands curiously for a moment before quickly throwing a Pearl at an approaching Second Displaced, the impact of the pearl releasing a chain of lightning that destroyed two more Seconds near it. The Week then let out a roar and released a barrage of twelve glowing gold and purple bolts of energy that started homing in on Lillian and the Mouse. Lillian quickly threw up a Reflega barrier around her that absorbed the bolts, but to her surprise, she saw the Mouse quickly running away from the bolts leaping and rolling from side to side, evading the bolts which crashed into the ground, missing him completely. Lillian and the Mouse regrouped in front of the Week as it punched the ground again, conjuring more Seconds. The two charged forward again, Lillian stabbing and shooting at the Week's wrist while the Mouse leapt onto its arm, charging up towards its shoulder.

"Watch out!" Lillian called just as the Week's long tendril down the back coiled around and struck at the Mouse. The Mouse leapt off, narrowly avoiding the strike and landing right in front of the Week. Thinking quickly he reared back both hands and fired two electrified Pearls at the Displaced's Hourglass insignia, causing it to roar in pain. Lillian and the Mouse quickly leapt back. The Week stepped back, its Hourglass insignia glowing again, but this time it fired off six large gold and black orbs into the air. Lillian and the Mouse quickly leapt away in opposite directions but when the orbs impacted between them, they exploded into a small swarm of Seconds.

"Uh-oh!" the Mouse yelped in alarm, quickly getting surrounded by the Displaced. Lillian was quickly surrounded as well.

"Your majesty!" "Look out!" the dog and the duck yelled from the other side of the barrier. Lillian knew she couldn't reach the Mouse in time and the Week was rearing back both fists for another strike. The Mouse looked around in alarm, no means of escaping at all. He quickly shielded himself with his arms but just as the Week moved to strike, the Mouse let out a bright and crisp white light, causing everyone, even the Week and Lillian to shield their eyes. Lillian squinted from behind her arm at the light but what she saw made her grin. The light faded and the Mouse opened his eyes in surprise to find all the Seconds had been destroyed and the Week was in a daze. But clutched in the Mouse's right hand was a long curved shaft decorated in white stars, a guard made of two shooting stars, a tooth shaped like a star and crescent moon, and a keychain shaped like a crescent moon. The Mouse marveled at the weapon in surprise for a moment before Lillian hurried up to him.

"Now's not the time to stare at it! Use it!" she said, pointing her own Keyblade at the Week. The Mouse followed her lead and pointed the Keyblade at the stunned Week. Both their Keyblades began to glow at the tips, a light shining from them before they fired a concentrated beam of light at the Week's Hourglass icon, causing cracks of light to rip through it. The Week roared in pain as the cracks covered its entire body before it finally exploded in a shower of gold and purple sands that disappeared almost instantly (End Battle Music). Lillian sighed with relief, quickly looking around but saw no Displaced. She quietly dismissed her weapons and the magic dome just as the duck and the dog came running up to the Mouse.

"Your majesty!" "Are you alright?" they asked as the Mouse turned to them with a smile and a nod.

"Uh-huh, sorry about worrying ya fellas. But everything's A-Okay now…except…" he said, looking at the Keyblade in his hand.

"Say, isn't that the same thing his Majesty has?" the dog asked.

"Just like King Oswald's!" the duck added, causing Lillian to blink in surprise.

"King Oswald?" she asked, turning towards them. They turned towards her as well.

"Do you know him, ma'am?" the Mouse asked as Lillian gave a nod.

"He's apprenticed to Master Yen Sid of Disneylahn, right? A Keyblade Apprentice, right?" Lillian asked, all three of them nodding.

"Uh-huh. He's my brother." The Mouse replied as Lillian smiled warmly at him.

"So that makes you…the Prince?" she asked but the duck and dog both laughed.

"Aww, I'm just a cabin boy. I'm no Prince." The Mouse replied. Lillian crossed her arms over her chest with a knowing smirk.

"I remember hearing them call you 'your majesty' once before." Lillian said as the Mouse glanced away with a slight tint of dark gray in his monochrome cheeks, blushing.

"Aww shucks, that's just because I-." the Mouse said but Lillian knelt down on one knee to his level.

"You were willing to risk your life to protect your friends. To protect someone you didn't even know. That's not something to be idly dismissed. You acted like a proper leader. It's no wonder the Keyblade chose you." Lillian said, placing a comforting hand on the Mouse's shoulder.

"Chose me?" the Mouse asked.

"The Keyblade doesn't let just anyone wield it. It is bound to the Hearts of those it chooses. And after seeing you stand against that monster, I can see why it chose you. You have a heart that is strong with the Light. I would encourage you to learn to wield the Keyblade properly. But to do that, you will need a Master to show you how." Lillian said as she pulled back her hood.

"Who are you?" the Mouse asked as Lillian smiled.

"I'm Lillian. Oswald's my classmate. What's your name?" Lillian asked as the Mouse glanced away slightly in embarrassment.

"M-M-M…" he stammered, earning a curious smile from Lillian.

"M-Mortimer." The Mouse replied softly. Lillian seemed mildly disgusted with the name.

"Mortimer? Mmm, that doesn't sound quite fitting for a Prince. Mortimer…hmm." Lillian said, tapping her chin in thought before smiling at him.

"Let's see, what would be a fitting royal name? Hmm…" she thought to herself aloud.

"Walter!" the Duck suggested.

"Roy!" the Dog suggested. Lillian's eyes then widened and she smiled in realization.

"Mickey! What about Mickey? Mickey Mouse?" she suggested as Mortimer thought on it for a second but quickly smiled.

"Mickey…I like it!" he replied as Lillian then rose to her feet and summoned her Keyblade.

"Alright then." She said. Mortimer realized what she was doing and quickly dropped to one knee with his head bowed slightly. Lillian's Keyblade then began to glow with light.

"As a Wielder of the Keyblade, guardian and protector of the Light and the Worlds, I hear by name thee as Prince Mickey Mouse…" she said, tapping his right shoulder.

"…To study and learn the secret art of wielding the Keyblade. To protect the Light and those aligned with it. To hold strong against whatever threat the Darkness may throw at you…" she said, tapping his left shoulder before holding it directly over his head.

"…to protect the Worlds from Darkness, and above all else, to protect Kingdom Hearts and its secrets from those that would abuse its power or use it for evil…" she said as an orb of light started to glow at the tip of her Keyblade.

"…and with the power of your Heart as your Drive, the Keyblade as your weapon, and the Light of Kingdom Hearts as your guide, let the power of these elements come together and forge for you the armor that will forever mark you as a Keyblade Wielder, and one day as a Keyblade Master." Lillian said as the orb suddenly burst, revealing a simple round badge with the Mouse's seal on it. Mickey looked up in awe as the badge hovered down into his awaiting hands. In a flash, the badge vanished but now Mickey was clad in a suit of Keyblade Armor designed to fit him. His helmet even accommodating his ears.

"**Whoa!"** the dog and duck both remarked in awe at the sight of Mickey in his armor. Lillian smiled down at the young Prince. The moment was interrupted by a clapping sound nearby. They turned to see a familiar face.

"Well done you two. I knew you had it in you."

"Master Yen Sid!" Lillian yelped, bowing to her master as he approached, wearing his conical hat. Oswald was at his side.

"**Your majesty!"** Mickey, the Dog, and the Duck all yelped together at the sight of Oswald.

"How long have you been here, Master?" Lillian asked, standing up.

"Just arrived, but we saw the whole thing. I've been keeping an eye on Mort-err-I-mean Mickey, for some time. I've known for a while that Mickey's heart had been chosen by the Keyblade. It was a simple matter of waiting for it to manifest itself." Yen Sid explained as Oswald, Mickey, the Dog, and the Duck spoke amongst each other.

"Then you knew that the Displaced and that woman were here? Why didn't you do something?" Lillian asked as Yen Sid smiled gently at her.

"Sometimes being a Master is knowing when to act and when not to. In this case, I had to see how Mickey handled himself. Had you not been here, then I would have stepped in and assisted. But this was just as good a test for you as it was him." Yen Sid replied as Lillian looked towards the four as they talked amongst themselves.

"I understand, Master." She replied.

"One critical mark though, it's typically frowned upon for Apprentices to awaken Keyblade Armor for Initiates like Mickey. But I'll ignore it. Saved me the trouble and you got him a new name to boot. Mickey…hmm…has a nice ring to it." Yen Sid complimented as Lillian blushed a little.

"It just seemed a bit…happier than Mortimer." She replied.

"I'll take care of things here, Lilly. You still have an exam to take." He said as Lillian nodded understandingly.

"I understand, Master." She said, pulling up her hood. Before she could start away, Yen Sid cleared his throat.

"It's Ultimecia, by the way." He said, causing Lillian to pause, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Huh?"

"That woman's name. According to Professor Shantotto, her name's Ultimecia. She contacted me to let me know Eraqus had a run in with her. Don't worry, he's fine." Yen Sid said as Lillian nodded understandingly.

"Thank you, Master. I just hope it isn't too late to stop her and my sister." Lillian replied before running off towards the Wharf, not noticing that Mickey had seen her run off. Lillian soon arrived at the Wharf, approaching the dock where her dory remained hidden. She raised her hand, her dory reappearing in the water. As she approached the boat, she heard someone calling out to her.

"Wait!"

She turned and saw Mickey running up to her, back in his usual clothes but with his badge taking the place of one of his trouser buttons. Lillian turned towards him with a smile.

"What is it, Mickey?" she asked.

"I just wanted…to thank ya. I don't know if we'll see each other again, but ya helped me protect my world and my friends. But know that you're always welcome here." He said as Lillian knelt down to his level, briefly closing her eyes to hide her eyes' glow as she looked into his future. What she saw, made her smile wider.

"I can't say whether we will or won't, Mickey. But I foresee that you will become a great leader, both here and in worlds beyond, and an equally great Keyblade Master. The Light will be your companion, among others. Including-…huh?" Lillian said, opening her eyes and furrowing her brow at what she had seen. She had seen Mickey standing next an assortment of silhouettes made of light, and a light that resembled the spark from her dreams.

"What's the matter?" Mickey asked but Lillian smiled at him.

"It's nothing. Something you'll have to see for yourself in time." She said, turning to leave. Mickey smiling as she boarded her dory and cast off, sailing down the river to leave the world, the world fading to black as the chapter came to an end.

* * *

**End Chapter 11.**

Lillian's giving Mickey his name is a direct reference to the real life back-story for how Mickey got his name. Lillian Disney, the wife of Walt Disney, (and the namesake of Lillian in this story) had proposed the name Mickey instead of Walt's original Mortimer when Walt was first creating him back in 1928.


	12. Investigative Intermission

The chapter had just come to a close and left a surprised and quietly startled group in present day Disneylahn.

"The King knew Master Lillian?" Ven asked.

"More importantly, she was the one who named him." Aqua added.

"We should speak to the King about this. I know it might sound like skipping ahead, but maybe we should ask him if he knows where she went." Terra said, standing to his feet.

"No, I agree. We should ask him. Worst he can say is he doesn't know. And as he's involved in Lillian's story, he might want to join in on reading this with us." Aqua suggested.

"It'd probably be a great waltz down memory lane, at the very least." Axel said, standing up.

"Right then. Axel…" Terra said as Axel gave a two-fingered salute.

"You got it, one express lane to Disney Town coming right…uh…" Axel said, reaching out his hand into the air, expecting a Corridor of Darkness to open but nothing happened.

"Uh…did I go over some kind of limit on Corridors or something?" Axel asked, confused.

"You can't use a Corridor of Darkness to travel to Disney Town, Axel. It's protected by the Cornerstone of Light, a powerful orb that bathes the whole world in Light. Corridors of Darkness can't open there." Terra explained as Axel shrugged.

"Looks like I'm holding down the fort then." He replied.

"Don't worry about it. We have something else to check on." Terra said as Axel arched a confused eyebrow.

"Huh? Oh right." He replied, remembering that they had to meet up with Ansem or one of his Apprentices in Twilight Town Station.

"Ven and I will go talk to the King. You two can go check in and see if Ansem's found anything. I'll take the book with us, let him catch up before joining us back here." Aqua said as Ven climbed to his feet.

"I'm sure Ansem might want to sit in too, if anything to refresh his memory." Ven said as Axel rolled his eyes.

"Why not just invite Organization XIII too while we're at it." Axel mumbled.

"Good idea. We'll extend the invitation to Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo too. It might have some relevance to them as well." Terra said, Aqua and Ven both nodding in agreement while Axel blinked in hesitation but ultimately surrendered, shrugging helplessly as they went their own separate directions.

…

**A while later…**

Aqua and Ven appeared in the garden in Disney Castle, making their way towards the throne room.

"So where do you think that disembodied announcer voice comes from whenever we walk into the throne room?" Ven asked as Aqua tapped her chin.

"Probably a speaker hidden somewhere." Aqua replied.

"But how does it know who we are?" Ven asked, Aqua shrugging in response as they reached the throne room doors. The doors opened for them automatically, a loud fanfare trumpeting forth.

"**Announcing Lady Aqua, Master of the Keyblade, Guardian of the Land of Departure, and Ventus, Apprentice of the Keyblade!" **the disembodied voice announced.

"There! That! Where does that come from?!" Ven asked, exasperatedly but got no reply as they approached the throne. The throne had been updated to include a third throne where Oswald sat to Mickey's left, the Brother Kings sitting side by side while Minnie sat to Mickey's right. Donald and Goofy stood nearby flanking the thrones while Jiminy Cricket sat at a small desk writing, taking the minutes.

"Hiya fellas! Welcome!" Mickey greeted as he hopped off his throne.

"It's good to see you again, Mickey." Ven said.

"You too Master Oswald. Are you settling back in okay?" Aqua asked as Oswald gave a smile and a nod.

"You bet. Mickey's been a great help. Donald, Goofy, everyone here has been so kind to me. I'm just glad they accepted me back so readily." Oswald replied.

"So what brings you fellas back here? Something wrong?" Mickey asked. Aqua reached behind her and produced the Book of Lillian.

"Actually, we're here investigating something. Master Yen Sid sent us the tome of Master Lillian. We've not seen her in over a decade. I was just wondering if, maybe, you knew anything about where she might've gone." Aqua said as Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Oswald all looked at them, startled.

"Master Lillian?! Gosh, I haven't thought about her in a long time. Ya say Master Yen Sid gave you her Master's Tome?" Mickey asked as Aqua handed the tome to him, the King opening it and starting to look through it a little.

"Terra and Axel have been reading it together with us. The book describes the events of hers and Master Eraqus's Mark of Mastery Exam over thirty years ago. We thought that, since she had a major impact on you, Oswald, and your world, that you might know something about where she might've gone." Aqua explained as Mickey closed the book and handed it back to Aqua.

"Sorry fellas, but I haven't seen her for at least thirty years. In fact, I thought she had died back then too." Mickey replied with a sad expression. Oswald nodded in agreement.

"He's right." Oswald replied, confusing Ven and Aqua.

"But that makes no sense. She visited the Land of Departure several times while we were still Apprentices, at least ten years ago." Ven said, surprising Mickey and Oswald. Mickey then put his hand to his chin in thought.

"Hmm. Maybe there's a clue hidden in that book of hers. I could tell it was telling a story from that brief look I had, so maybe the answers are at the end." Mickey said, pointing at the book.

"That's what we think too. But she's put a sequential secret script spell on it, so we pretty much have to read it from start to finish to find out if there is a secret." Aqua replied.

"Welp, do ya mind a few extra people reading over your shoulders then?" Mickey asked.

"Not at all. In fact we were going to ask if you'd like to join us. We read the part where you and Lillian first met…Mortimer." Aqua said with a cheeky smile. Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and Oswald all giggled to themselves, Jiminy just smiling jovially but quietly, while Mickey blushed a little, embarrassed by his birthname.

"Is that still your name?" Ven asked curiously as Mickey gave a slightly embarrassed nod, still smiling though.

"Uh-huh, it's my birthname. But my royal name is just plain ol' Mickey Mouse." Mickey replied.

"Well, you're free to join us if you want. We thought it might be nice to reexperience some old memories." Aqua said as Mickey turned to Donald and Goofy.

"Donald, Goofy, go tell Chip and Dale to warm up the Gummy Ship. We'll be following Ven and Aqua back to the Land of Departure." Mickey said as Donald and Goofy both nodded and hurried out of the throne room. Aqua shook her head though.

"Actually we're in Yen Sid's old Castle, Disneylahn." Aqua replied, surprising both Mickey and Oswald. Even Jiminy seemed surprised.

"Disneylahn!? Well don't that beat all?" Jiminy remarked, hopping up onto Ven's shoulder.

"You kids might not know this, but Their Majesties had Disney Castle designed to resemble the great castle of Disneylahn." Jiminy commented.

"Well it's just like you left it, I imagine. Master Yen Sid restored it to normal before he left." Aqua said.

"Left?" Mickey asked, curious and concerned for his former Master.

"Axel says he's gone into retirement again. But…I don't know if he's coming back this time." Ven replied, a look of sad worry on his face. Oswald and Mickey both exchanged saddened looks, but their expressions seemed to imply they knew more than what had been said.

"You think it finally happened?" Oswald asked.

"I hope not Oswald, but we might need to be prepared for the worst." Mickey replied.

"What are you two talking about?" Ven asked as Aqua knelt down to their level.

"Do you know what happened to Master Yen Sid?" Aqua asked. The Kings exchanged worried looks again before they looked at Aqua.

"Maybe we better wait and see if Master Lillian explains everything. If she doesn't, then we'll explain everything." Mickey said, staring at the Book of Lillian, grasped in Aqua's hands.

…

**Meanwhile in Twilight Town…**

Ienzo sat on one of the benches inside the station in Twilight Town, dressed in one of the black coats of Organization XIII. He sat quietly eating a stick of sea-salt ice cream. His waiting was soon at an end as a Corridor of Darkness opened nearby, allowing a hooded Axel and an armored Terra to emerge before closing. Ienzo stood up as they approached.

"Still using those Corridors, I see." Ienzo commented as Axel pulled back his hood and Terra's armor disappeared.

"You're one to talk, Zexion. That coat kinda gives away your means of travel." Axel replied with a smirk. Ienzo looked at the sleeve of his coat before looking at Terra.

"It also helps that we were feeling a little…nostalgic." He replied as Terra crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sorry we were late. Did we keep you waiting long?" Terra asked but Ienzo gave a light shrug.

"A little. But it gave us the opportunity to look around. I brought a little something, compliments of his highness." Ienzo said, producing two additional sticks of ice cream, handing them to Axel and Terra who accepted them.

"Us?" Terra asked, a little hesitant to hear Ienzo's answers.

"The others are here in town. Dilan and Aeleus are escorting Lord Ansem. They're recovering some of his data from the old mansion. Even is assisting him. I was tasked with briefing you on our findings." Ienzo reported.

"Did you find anything in Ansem's archives about Master Lillian?" Terra asked.

"Regretfully no." Ienzo replied with a disconcerted expression.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" Axel asked. Ienzo reached into his pocket and produced an old card.

"We checked the archives dating back thirty years, but there was nothing but old schematics and early experiment notes in them. But we did find something very suspicious. All of the records for one specific day had been destroyed, a note left behind by Lord Ansem himself, informing anyone searching for those records that they had been destroyed on his order." Ienzo said, handing Terra the card. On it was hand-written…

"_By my authority, all records associated with the following date have been destroyed. – Ansem." _The card read, followed by a date some thirty-one years prior and Ansem's royal seal.

"And Ansem doesn't recall what happened then?" Terra asked.

"No…I do not." A familiar deep voice replied. They turned towards the entryway to see Ansem, Dilan, Even, and Aeleus, approaching. Dilan, Even, and Aeleus were also in their black Organization XIII coats while Ansem wore his old Darkness in Zero clothes, only with a red hood in place of the red bandages. Ienzo gave a bow to his King as he approached.

"I wasn't expecting all of you." Terra said.

"My inability to remember these events troubles me. I fear part of it can be chalked up to my advancing age, but I wonder if perhaps my memory has also been deliberately suppressed. If so, was I the one who suppressed the memory, or was it perhaps another?" Ansem asked. Terra and Axel looked at each other curiously at this. It was something that sounded familiar to them.

"That's actually not beyond the realm of possibility. Riku mentioned that he had a memory suppressed and didn't realize it. Whenever he'd start to remember it, a magic spell placed upon him would activate, suppress the memory, and sort of, replace it temporarily. Master Yen Sid undid the spell, and although he hasn't mentioned it, I believe he has since regained this memory." Terra explained. Ansem seemed puzzled by this, as did Even and Ienzo.

"Pardon my interruption, but I am curious. You say that this mystery arose from the finding of an old tome?" Even asked, curiously.

"The Book of Lillian, yes. She was a Keyblade Master in the same class as mine, Aqua, and Ven's Master, Master Eraqus. Her tome directly mentioned an encounter between her and you." Terra said, looking at Ansem who finally looked back at him.

"Terra, would it be permissible for me to review this tome for myself? Perhaps reading it will spark my memory." Ansem said as Terra gave a slight shrug.

"It's fine with me, but we'll have to get the final word from Aqua. She and Ven are off retrieving Mickey and his brother, King Oswald. They're both featured in the story as well." Terra said as Ansem gave a nod of understanding.

…

**Later, back in Disneylahn…**

Aqua, Ven, Terra, and Axel were waiting outside of a sort of lounge area where Ansem, the Apprentices, Mickey, Oswald, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy were viewing the story using the Arcana Librium from the beginning so as to catch up. The lounge had been the same room featured at the beginning of the story, where Lillian and Eraqus had been playing chess, and was virtually untouched from its appearance over thirty years ago.

"Mickey and Oswald didn't even know Master Lillian had been alive at all in the thirty years since her story took place." Aqua said as Ven nodded worriedly.

"And they seemed to know the reason why Master Yen Sid is gone." Ven added.

"Meanwhile all record of anything that happened when Master Lillian visited Radiant Garden has been destroyed. On Ansem's order even." Terra said.

"This isn't making any sense. I'm starting to get a very bad feeling that, perhaps Master Lillian isn't the person we knew her as." Aqua said as Axel gave a shrug.

"Guess that'd make me a great example of the old cliché: never judge a book by it's cover." Axel said but Ven smirked towards him.

"Nah, we knew just from looking at ya that you were kinda suspicious." Ven said. Axel smirked and gave an exaggeratedly eloquent bow.

"I'll be sure to repay your tit with tat, eventually, good sir. Got it memorized?" Axel asked with a grin. Aqua, Ven, and Terra each smiled in amusement. Axel then stood up and looked curiously at Terra.

"Superior, I gotta ask. You clearly remember something of Xehanort. You were able to name Xenix a few days ago. So don't you remember anything that might shed some light on this?" Axel asked as Terra's expression darkened slightly.

"Not of Master Xehanort, no. I only remember what Ansem and Xemnas did, plus whatever Xehanort did while in my body. Anything before that, I don't remember. I only remember Ansem and Xemnas because they were also my Heartless and Nobody as much as Xehanort's. And even then, I have to delve into my own Darkness to tap into those memories." Terra replied as Axel grimaced a little.

"I felt like it was a fair question. Didn't mean for it to go that far into bad territory." Axel said but Terra smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Axel, it's fine. It's a reality I have to deal with, a burden that's mine to bear. But to paraphrase something Riku might say, It's a burden easier to bear when you have friends to help carry it with you." Terra said as Axel shrugged.

"Didn't know we were in a forest. It's getting rea~ally sappy right about now." Axel commented, causing the trio to laugh.

"And just like that the moment gets incinerated." Ven said as Axel grinned.

"Well I am the Flurry of the Dancing Flames. Got it memorized?" he asked, causing the others to laugh again. Their merriment was interrupted by the door to the lounge being opened by Donald and Goofy.

"It's safe to come in now. We're all caught up to where you guys were." Goofy said as Donald nodded.

"Uh-huh. Now we can all continue together!" Donald added as they walked inside. The Arcana Librium had been set in the center of a hastily arranged circle of chairs, couches, and sofas. Ansem sat on a sofa with a small stand just to his right with a notepad resting on it, quietly jotting down some information. Aeleus and Dilan sat off to one side, while Even wrote some information down on a notepad in his hand. Ienzo was seated next to Ansem, seemingly lost in thought. Mickey and Oswald were seated next to each other in a pair of matching chairs, talking to each other while Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Axel entered and found some seats for themselves.

"Ansem, Mickey, Oswald, has anything come back to any of you? Any memories?" Aqua asked as she sat down in the middle of a couch, opposite Ansem.

"Regretfully, it has not." Ansem said.

"Oswald and I remember all of our involvement. But it's what happened after that surprises us both." Mickey said as Oswald nodded.

"We had no idea that she had survived. We thought she was dead." Oswald added.

"What makes you say that, your majesty?" Goofy asked. Oswald was about to speak but Axel cleared his throat.

"Hey, Goofy, you ever heard of spoilers?" Axel asked as Goofy covered his mouth with both hands.

"Axel's right. Oswald and I promised not to say anything unless Lillian said it first in her book. So until that point, we're staying quiet about it." Mickey said as Oswald nodded in agreement.

"So then, I guess we're all ready to continue?" Aqua asked, looking at everyone. Everyone gave quiet nods in response.

"Alright then." She said, raising her hand towards the book, starting the next chapter. The world began to darken again around them. This time it started with the older Lillian at her desk once again, only now she was standing next to it, looking over some of the previous pages. She then smiled, stepping out from around the desk and moving to stand directly in front of where Ansem sat.

"_Hello again, your majesty." _Lillian's visage greeted with a polite bow, stunning everyone present, including Ansem.

"I thought this was just a book or a projection." Axel whispered to Aqua. Lillian proceeded to spin around towards him with a smile.

"_To a degree, it is."_ She replied, her desk disappearing, bringing the Arcana Librium back into view.

"Master Lillian, you can hear us?" Aqua asked as Lillian looked at her with a slight shrug, spinning her hands a little in a "sorta" kind of way.

"_Not exactly, Aqua." _She said, pointing to her eyes. Her eyes were glowing and had been since the chapter started.

"_More accurately, I am seeing this conversation taking place in the future. Hearing the questions you will ask, and answering them in my present. By my guess, it would be about…ten years into the future from where I am now. Ten years ago for you. Give or take a year or two. I saw the Arcana Librium being used as the tool to retell my story. Knowing that, I included these little, 'Reports' I suppose you could call them, so that I could finally speak to you, one last time, after all these years. I chose to wait until all of you were together before addressing you all." _Lillian explained as Ansem rose to his feet.

"Incredible. I had heard legend of the Foretellers, but I never knew their powers could be this acute." Ansem said as Lillian smiled at him.

"_At times, they are. Most of the time, they're not. I'll admit, I've been granted rare moments of clarity for this precise moment among a few others further along the line. I am pleased though, to see you will eventually return to the Radiant Throne. I understand you might have difficulty remembering these events. Rest assured, the answer to this lies between the covers of my tome and all will be made clear to you." _Lillian said before turning towards Mickey and Oswald.

"_And I am equally pleased to see the Brother Kings of Timeless River reunited once again…although I understand that your world goes by a different name now. I saw one of you blinded by Empty Lies, but you would one day break free and become brothers again." _Lillian said before turning towards Aqua, Terra, and Ven with an even warmer smile.

"_And finally, Aqua, Terra, Ventus…I am most proud of you all. I foresaw your falls to Darkness…and your returns. I wasn't sure on the details. My visions failed me there, but I knew you would return. I am sorry for the great burdens that myself and Eraqus left you to bear alone for so long."_ Lillian said to the three who all smiled at her, Terra even wiping away a tear of joy and being able to communicate with her again.

"We're sorry if we ever forgot you, Master." Aqua said as Lillian gently shushed her.

"_The time for tears is long since passed, child. You'll need to save them and your strength. This story isn't finished." _Lillian said before looking towards the book on the Arcana Librium, smiling at it and placing a hand on it. Her smile seemed to fade though as she knew what came next inside the book.

"_Now, the tale must continue. As much as it pains to think that he is now an enemy, his story is a no less important part of the whole story, than mine or Eraqus's." _Lillian said with a grim tone as an image of the younger Xehanort appeared before them, Lillian vanishing away as the next chapter began…

* * *

**End Chapter 12**


	13. Master vs Master

The world before him was lush green mountains, great blue lochs, and old overgrown ruins dotting the land. Xehanort stood, with hood up, at the top of a hill surrounded by a ring of standing stones with old Gaelic markings on them, some depicting an imposing bear-like figure. He paid no heed to these old ruins, looking towards the ruins of an old and abandoned castle that was shrouded in a grey fog. As he approached, he noticed small blue wisps of light appearing in the woods, appearing in a steady trail, leading him towards the castle. The wisps would disappear if he got close to them but reappear when he stepped away. As he approached the castle, he noticed a few Second Displaced were scurrying around the ruins. He quietly summoned his Keyblade and was prepared to begin attacking them when they suddenly turned and ran into the castle. Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow and began to walk towards the castle, his Keyblade in hand.

The castle itself was nothing more than a ring of broken walls, at least from the outside. A hole in the ground led down into a throne room, a pile of debris being the only means back out of the throne room. Xehanort quietly dropped down into the throne room, looking around curiously. Resting near the back wall of the room sat three thrones made of stone and a four that had been tossed aside and smashed Lying on the ground in front of the thrones was a large stone slab. The slab had the visages of four men, three were on the larger section, while the fourth was on a smaller section had been cleaved off. Xehanort looked around the throne room and noticed strange animalistic claw markings covered the walls and even the tablet.

"Interesting, isn't it?" a familiar voice asked. Xehanort recognized it, turning towards the shadows to see another hooded figure, Master Millicent, scowling at him.

"This castle once belonged to four brothers, the sons of a great and wise King. The King, knowing his life was soon to end, bequeathed his kingdom to not one but all four of his sons, as together they had the wisdom, compassion, justness, and strength to rule the kingdom." Millicent explained as she stepped into the light, towards the stone slab. Xehanort listened and watched her patiently, his Keyblade still held tightly at his side.

"But one of them, the strongest, was so filled with greed and pride, that he felt insulted by his father's decree, wanting all of the kingdom to himself. His betrayal and the forsaking of his duties, led to the downfall of both himself, his brothers, and their kingdom, until all that was left was ruin." Millicent explained, motioning around the ruined throne room.

"The irony seems to be lost on you, Master Millicent." Xehanort said but Millicent glared at him.

"I'm not the one with his Keyblade ready for a fight. The story wasn't about me. I don't crave to rule over all. I have no intention of forsaking my oath to protect the Worlds from Darkness. I'm trying to fulfill it by preventing Darkness from consuming them. You, on the other hand, are so obsessed with finding answers that you would forsake your oath as a Keyblade Wielder if it meant finding the answers to your questions." Millicent said as Xehanort placed his left hand behind his back.

"My questions are harmless. I only seek to know what has already happened. You Foretellers always say to look to the past to know the future. What makes you think that my knowing the past will negatively affect the future?" Xehanort asked as Millicent pointed to her eyes.

"My visions warn me that your future is of Darkness. And your thirst for knowledge makes me believe that you may seek to repeat the past. That alone is reason enough to keep your questions unanswered." Millicent said as they started to circle one another.

"To tell you the truth, I've never really put much stock in your visions. Destiny is not predetermined. It is always changing, unknowable, uncertain. I've as of yet to actually see a vision of yours come true." Xehanort retorted as Millicent arched an annoyed eyebrow.

"And what of Lillian's? Do you doubt her visions as well?" Millicent asked.

"Lillian is a good friend. I believe she and Eraqus do and will make a great couple. But I don't believe her visions either. If anything, I've spared her some measure of heartbreak by not mentioning some of my findings on the Keyblade War to her." Xehanort said as Millicent arched a curious eyebrow.

"Oh? And what sort findings are those? We've likely done the same research. You're not the only one to have researched the Keyblade War. I wonder what you saw differently." Millicent asked but Xehanort smiled coyly.

"Really now, did you think it would be that easy. Knowledge has its price, and my price is also knowledge. Knowledge for knowledge. A fair trade. You don't even have to blurt out the answers. Tell me where you hid your library in Twilight Town, and in exchange, I will share with you my findings." Millicent came to a stop, Xehanort stopping as well as they turned to face one another. Millicent looked at him suspiciously but thoughtfully.

"My library…" she said Xehanort smiling anxiously. Millicent calmly raised her left hand towards him. In a flash of light, she summoned forth a Keyblade with a black handle with black spike in its pommel and a peculiar guard. The left half of the guard was light blue with a small, black section near its base, rectangular, and connected to both ends of the handle, while the right half was black, curved outward slightly, and didn't connect to the bottom of the handle. Its shaft was light blue on its left half and regular blue on its right half. The head of the blade was blue and formed a large hook that curved to the left. Its teeth were comprised by three curved spikes lining the outer edge of the hook. The keychain was a blue five-pointed star with a small, circular gap in its center (Battle Music Cue: Critical Drive – 358/2 Days).

"…is closed to you." Millicent said as both Masters scowled at one another, Xehanort scowling in anger, Millicent with mistrust. Xehanort merely adopted his fighting stance and placed a hand on his belts.

"So be it." Xehanort replied as his Keyblade Armor but only the upper half appeared, the disembodied torso, head, arms, and hands, floating just behind him in the air, its arms at its sides. Xehanort tossed his Keyblade into the air, his armor catching it and adopting his battle stance as he smirked at Millicent, his hands behind his back. Millicent, having never seen Xehanort fight before, looked at this suspiciously. The Armor suddenly flew towards Millicent, taking a swing towards her but she quickly spun to the side, stabbing her Keyblade into its side with a few quick jabs, fighting left-handed. The armor spun at her with a swing to its right, Millicent narrowly dodging before turning and leaping into the air, thrusting her hand forward, summoning a white magic circle resembling a clock with Marks of Mastery for the hands, the circle floating vertically in the air. Millicent proceeded to land on it, standing perfectly upright, albeit sideways, gravity having no effect on her. Xehanort arched an interested eyebrow, his hands still behind his back. Millicent suddenly started running along the wall towards him, at least eight magic circles appearing in her path to carry her. Xehanort quickly dropped down into a fighting stance as she approached. Once she was within range, she reared back her Keyblade, the tip pointed at him for a thrust but he quickly spun out of the way, summoning his Keyblade back to his hand, in time to make an upwards swing towards her but she quickly spun clear, conjuring another magic circle beneath her feet on the wall, using it to spring towards him but he quickly dropped down, Millicent flying clear over him. Millicent landed and spun back round to face him as his armor reappeared behind him again.

"It seems I've misjudged your skill as a fighter." Millicent said as Xehanort held out his free hand, summoning one of his Ethereal Blades.

"Likewise, Master Millicent." Xehanort said as Millicent arched a curious eyebrow.

"Underestimated my skill as well?" Millicent asked but Xehanort smirked.

"Not at all." He said before Millicent's eyes widened. She looked around and realized she was surrounded by a near perfect sphere of his Ethereal Blades, all pointed towards her in the air.

"I overestimated yours." Xehanort replied before giving a snap of his fingers. The Ethereal Blades all started firing a sustained volley for several seconds, Xehanort smiling with smug satisfaction as he put his hands behind his back as he watched. Finally the bolts vanished, revealing Millicent standing frozen in a defensive stance atop a magic circle. Xehanort smirked her way for a moment before noticing something was amiss and his smile vanished, especially as he felt the cold metal of Millicent's Keyblade pressed to his neck.

"Did you think to consider my power as a Foreteller as well?" Millicent asked, standing just to his left but Xehanort's smile returned.

"And yet-…" he said before Millicent's eyes widened and she quickly leapt back just narrowly avoiding Xehanort's armor plowing a fist into the ground where she had been standing. She did a backflip clear, landing atop one of the thrones.

"I am truly impressed by your skill, Xehanort. You're probably the first to really take me by surprise. But…" Millicent said, causing Xehanort to arch a curious eyebrow towards her (End Battle Music). His eyes suddenly widened as he was forced to raise his Keyblade to defend as another Millicent, the one he had attacked came flying at him, the two locking blades while the one atop the thrones watched, now wearing a smug smile of her own.

"I did ask if you thought to consider my power as a Foreteller." The second Millicent said, their Keyblades throwing off sparks as they pressed against each other's. Xehanort snarled as the first Millicent sat down upon her throne, the second leaping back.

"What is this? Some kind Time magic?" Xehanort asked as eight more Millicents appeared from the magic circles on the wall, each of them gathering around the second while the first remained stood upon the thrones. Nine Millicent duplicates stood in front of him while the original stood atop the thrones.

"Time Stamp. One of my Shot Locks. I am able to freeze myself in a single moment of time within the glyphs I create, impervious to harm until I then call upon them to act, bringing forth as many duplicates of myself as I have made glyphs." The first Millicent explained as Xehanort gave an intrigued glance towards the first.

"I shall admit that I am impressed. You've clearly been holding out on me…but then, I shouldn't be surprised that a Foreteller would be the one to cause trouble like this." Xehanort said, the Millicents all looking at him suspiciously.

"What are you suggesting?" the first asked as the others looked at each other. Xehanort merely smirked.

"Good question. But then I already stated my price. Knowledge for knowledge. In exchange for the secret I've kept from you and Lillian, you give me the secret that you've been keeping from me. Or you can leave and continue your search for the Tempest while I do the same. I understand it may be useful towards my own goals. Perhaps if I found it first…" Xehanort said with a conniving grin as the Millicents all scowled at him. One of them however charged towards him, raising her Keyblade but Xehanort merely snapped his fingers, his armor swooping in and grabbing the duplicate by the face and raising her off the ground, startling the other Millicents. They watched with horror as the duplicate was suddenly flash frozen in ice.

"So what will it be? A fair exchange, or a heated and possibly bloody race to the finish?" Xehanort asked as Millicent snarled.

"You are Heartless indeed!" she hissed as Xehanort glared at her with a scowl.

"And you are a manipulative charlatan. You don't seek to uphold your oath, you seek to control time in your favor. If the Tempest is that which a would be tyrant such as yourself would use to wield power, I shall gladly be the one to shatter your dreams!" Xehanort spat before his armor proceeded to throw the flash frozen Millicent duplicate into the ground, causing her to shatter and disappear in a flash of light, leaving the others to stare in horror. One of the Millicent's glyphs then faded out as the duplicate it had created had disappeared. The first Millicent snarled along with the rest of the remaining eight duplicates.

"And I will likewise shatter any Darkness you bring." She retorted angrily.

"Was that one of your prophecies?" Xehanort asked with a mocking smile. The eight Duplicates suddenly roared in anger and charged towards him. Xehanort turned back towards them with a scowl, pointing his Keyblade towards them, conjuring another wave of his Ethereal Blades.

"Cursed fools!" he hissed, firing off the blades and obliterating all eight duplicates in a single volley. All eight of the remaining glyphs vanished but when Xehanort looked towards where the original Millicent had been standing, she had vanished, leaving only a closing portal in the air where she had been standing. Xehanort scowled and dismissed his Keyblade and Armor, pulling the hood up over his head while staring at where Millicent had vanished.

He was just starting to leave when he noticed a strange door seem to open in midair, a figure in a hooded jacket emerging from it, the door closing behind him. The figure looked around before noticing Xehanort and recoiling in alarm.

"Oh you've got to be-…you." The figure grumbled as Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow.

"And who might you be?" Xehanort asked as the figure pulled back his hood, glaring at him with a look of subdued anger. It was Professor Co.

"Not someone who wanted to run into you." The Professor replied, allowing his pocket watch to dangle down on the end of its chain from his right hand, swinging it back and forth slightly.

"Are you with Millicent perhaps?" Xehanort asked but Co shook his head.

"No, I'm against her. Well, more accurately, I'm against her companions; Ultimecia and the Traveler." Co replied as Xehanort looked him over curiously before looking at him with a curious gaze.

"You wouldn't happen to be Professor Co, would you? My former Master, Master Talw Yen Sid, seems to know you. And two of my friends seem to have met you as well." Xehanort said as Co gave a slight shrug.

"That's true. Your former Master's a little bit of a trouble maker. Not quite as big a one as the Traveler or Ultimecia though." Co explained as Xehanort smirked a little.

"I can believe that. Master Yen Sid can be a handful. But what do you know of the Traveler? I can assume Ultimecia is the woman in red? What do you know about them?" Xehanort asked as Co took a hesitant breath.

"I can tell you this. They're both from the future, but then I imagine that's something you might've already suspected was the case. I was pursuing Ultimecia for a different reason though. She wasn't supposed to have left her world. Using powerful Time Magic to venture back and forth through time within the confines of her world is one thing, but to use it and travel to other worlds at the same time is another." Co explained as Xehanort looked at him curiously.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"Predestination, you might say. She was meant to travel through time at some point, set events in motion in her world. But then when she left her world, she stepped out of bounds and became a problem for other worlds. That's when I took an interest." Co explained.

"I see. That would explain the Master's choice of words in calling you a sort of policeman. Then what of the Traveler? What's his crime?" Xehanort asked but the Professor seemed even more reluctant.

"That, I'm afraid is not something I can discuss." Co replied. Xehanort looked at him curiously, putting his hands behind his back.

"Is that so? And why is that?" Xehanort asked but Co began spinning his pocket watch a little, showing clear reluctance to answer.

"I can't answer…but, I can tell you that he does hold the key to something that may interest you." Co said as Xehanort stepped towards him.

"The cause of the Keyblade War?" he asked as Co gave a slight shrug.

"I can't say." Co replied but Xehanort smiled appreciatively.

"You've been invaluable. Thank you Professor. If I can be of any assistance in your mission, I would be honored to assist." Xehanort said, starting towards the pile leading to the hole in the ceiling as Co backed away.

"I've a feeling you may end up doing just that, whether I want you to or not." Co muttered to himself, turning and opening another door in the air, disappearing through it. Xehanort in the meantime, climbed free of the old Castle. As he started away from the old castle, he noticed a Corridor of Darkness open ahead of him, depositing the Traveler in his path. Xehanort scowled and summoned his Keyblade immediately, also summoning his Guardian Armor. The Traveler though quickly raised his hands defensively.

"Oh put that away, I'm not here to fight you…well, not this time." The Traveler said but Xehanort refused to back down.

"I will if you don't hand over what you know." Xehanort threatened but the Traveler struck a thoughtful pose.

"I am curious, Master Xehanort. What exactly is it that you seek?" the Traveler asked as Xehanort looked at him suspiciously.

"What's it to you?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler turned slightly and started to pace.

"I'm curious. We might be able to help one another. Compare notes, perhaps?" the Traveler asked. Xehanort seemed hesitant.

"And what do I get in return?" he asked.

"Answers. Knowledge. Something far more valuable. But I suppose you want a more specific answer. I will share what I know about the Tempest in exchange for your knowledge on the Keyblade War." the Traveler replied but now Xehanort's suspicions were peaked.

"How did you know I'm researching the Keyblade War?" he asked as the Traveler came to a stop, turning towards him.

"I'm from the future. I know what your line of research was. I merely want to give you a gentle nudge in the right direction if I can." The Traveler said as Xehanort pursed his lips together in thought for a moment but finally dismissed his Keyblade.

"No. Not right now. That relates to knowledge I only recently withheld from Millicent. For all I know this could be a clever means of trying to get that same information from me now. I told her my price: knowledge for knowledge. She knows the knowledge I seek, and now she seeks knowledge from me. No. I will not share that information with you, especially given that there's always the possibility that you could be lying and in fact have no information on the Tempest to share." Xehanort said as the Traveler gave a conceding nod.

"A fair assessment but an inaccurate one. However since it's merely my word as evidence to support my claim, I would probably not trust me either. But I do take issue with the accusation that I am lying. I have purposefully omitted some facts, mostly due to my being from the future and being aware of some of the events that happen between now and then. But such is necessary to keep the timeline intact. Keeping it the way it is, is actually in my favor for the time being. But I've discovered that sometimes, the truth is a just as powerful weapon as a lie." The Traveler explained as Xehanort looked at him curiously, listening closely.

"If a lie is told first, it can grow, snowball. The bigger the lie, the more devastation it will leave behind once the Truth is revealed. Truth and Honesty are not exclusive to the Light, just as Lies and Deceit are not exclusive to the Darkness. Granted, both sides encourage and discourage one or the other, but it's naïve to assume one is exclusive to the other. The Darkness can use the Truth to great effect, especially when those of the Light have used deception to their own ends. The reverse is also true." The Traveler explained.

"Then we continue our respective hunts for the Tempest." Xehanort said as the Traveler gave a courteous bow.

"May the best man win." He replied before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. Xehanort stared at where he had vanished for a moment before looking into the sky.

"I plan to." He muttered to himself, looking towards one of the stars in the sky.

"And I know just who to ask." He added as he then summoned his Keyblade, tossing it into the air. His Guardian Armor vanished and his full armor reappeared on him just as his Keyblade Glider descended and attached itself to his back. He then looked upwards and took to the stars. The world faded to black as the chapter ended, everyone in the viewing room (at it had been nicknamed), all reappearing.

"Fascinating. Xehanort's fighting abilities mimic the abilities used by both Ansem and Xemnas." Even said as he wrote something down on his clipboard.

"Seriously, Vexen? That's what your take away from all of this is?" Axel asked, Even looked towards him and nodded.

"Partially. I am paying attention, but there are finer points that intrigue me…and it's not Vexen anymore, it's Even." Even replied. Axel shrugged in response.

"Meh, whatever. Old habits die hard after all. Got it memorized?" Axel asked.

"Even has a point though." Ienzo said, everyone looking at him.

"Ansem and Xemnas both inherited separate sets of abilities from Xehanort. But why separate? Why not both abilities if they came from the same being?" Ienzo asked.

"Gawrsh! He's right! Ansem had that big guardian feller, and Xemnas had those laser things." Goofy commented.

"And Xehanort had both!" Donald added.

"So why didn't they both get the same powers?" Mickey added. Everyone seemed to fall silent in thought, that is until Terra sighed.

"It's because the Guardian and the Armor are both born from and controlled by the Heart. The Ethereal Blades are controlled through magic and will and don't require a heart to use." Terra explained, standing up before continuing.

"Ansem, being the Heart, had control of the Guardian. Xemnas, being the body, could access the Ethereal Blades. Both were limited to a single one of those powers. Individually, they were one half of a greater whole." Terra explained as Axel cleared his throat.

"I get that part, but there's one thing that nobody here has mentioned. Something that should be glaring us right in our faces. Anyone care to wager a guess?" Axel asked but an eerie silence was his answer. Axel sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Okay, guess I get to be the smart one for a change. Xehanort was a Keyblade Master, right? Even when he hijacked Terra's body he had one. So why didn't Ansem or Xemnas have access to one? You can't say that Nobodies can't have Keyblades. Otherwise Roxas and even Namine have some explaining to do as to how they broke the laws of the universe even having one." Axel said as everyone stared at him. Axel sighed again.

"See? See? SEE? Major brain-ache!" Axel groaned.

"I know the answer to that too, Axel." Terra replied as he reached into his pocket and pulled out something in his fist. He then raised his fist in front of him and summoned his Keyblade, but instead of his usual Ends of the Earth, it was the all too familiar black and silver jagged edged Keyblade once wielded by Master Xehanort.

"Xehanort was cunning. He had a contingency plan in place for almost every eventuality. In this case, he wanted to make sure that if his Heartless, Nobody, or both went rogue, that they would be less powerful and thus easier to defeat if another Keyblade Wielder arose to challenge them. So as he fell into Darkness, he dragged his Keyblade with him, making sure Ansem and Xemnas couldn't wield it as a precaution." Terra explained before dismissing the Keyblade and pocketing its keychain.

"I'm a bit concerned about what knowledge that Xehanort is talking about. The knowledge he wishes to withhold from Millicent and Lillian. What was it?" Aqua asked.

"Like I said, brain-ache." Axel muttered.

"Only one cure for that, Lea…" Ansem said, earning the attention of everyone in the room. He smiled and motioned towards the book.

"…we must finish the story." Ansem finished. There were a few laughs as Aqua smiled and raised her hand to begin the next chapter. As she did, Axel grinned towards Ansem.

"I thought I told you this before, but I'll say it again. I'm not Lea. The name is Axel. That's-." Axel said but was interrupted by a chorus of groans and-…

"**A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"** Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo all recited in unison, Even and Dilan both groaning afterwards while Ienzo laughed to himself along with most everyone else. Axel just smirked and crossed his arms over his chest as the world started to darken, the next chapter beginning.

"One of these days I'm going to switch it up and then you'll be sorry." Axel said before getting shushed.

* * *

**End Chapter 13**

The story Millicent told Xehanort at the beginning was indeed the Tale of Mor'du from Disney/Pixar's Brave. And yes, the world they're in is "The Highlands" from said movie.

One thing I'd like to make clear. If the description of Millicent's Keyblade is familiar, that's because she's using the Abyssal Tide Keyblade from 358/2 Days. The reason for this is simple. While the games allow for different Keyblades to be used, we're going to assume that they all used a single, default Keyblade throughout the main games, barring a few exceptions. This in turn gives me a whole host of different Keyblades I can use as main Keyblades for other Keyblade Wielders. So we're assuming that none of the main cast collected any alternative Keyblades. I covered this in Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts – The Second Darkness, but this is just a reminder and updated list of who uses what Keyblades…

Sora: Kingdom Key (Base and Primary), Oathkeeper (Formed via bond with Kairi), Oblivion (Formed via bond with Riku), Two Become One (Formed from combined memories of Roxas and Xion)

Kairi: Destiny Place (Base), Destiny's Embrace (Primary)*

Riku: Road to Dawn (Base and Primary)**

Aqua: Rainfell (Base), Stormfall (Available, unused), Mark of Mastery (Primary)***

Terra: Earthshaker (Base), Ends of the Earth (Primary), Darkness Seeker (Reserved for Dark Form)****

Ventus: Wayward Wind (Base and Primary).

Mickey Mouse: Star Seeker (Base), Kingdom Key-D (Primary)

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: Lucky Charm (Base and Primary)*****

Si'Lea: Brightcrest (Base and Primary)

Nixe: Wandering Star (Base and Primary)*****

Roxas: Kingdom Key (Base and Primary), Oathkeeper & Oblivion (When duel-wielding)

Xion: Kingdom Key (Base and Primary)

Namine: Lunar Eclipse (Base and Primary, Monty Oum version)

Talw Yen Sid: L'Apprenti Sorcier (Base and Primary)*****

Eraqus: Mark of Mastery (Base and Primary)***

Xehanort: Relentless Seeker (Base and Primary in youth)*****, Darkness Seeker (Eventual Primary)****

Lillian: Daughter of the Sea (Base and Primary)*****

Millicent: Abyssal Tide (Base and Primary)

*Destiny's Embrace is a custom, enhanced version of the Destiny Place Keyblade created by me in RKH: The Second Darkness.

**Road to Dawn is considered Riku's base Keyblade because, prior to the RKH Saga starting, Soul Eater was largely assumed to be a sword and as such I don't consider Soul Eater to be a Keyblade in this continuity. I consider it to be a sword if anything.

***Mark of Mastery is Master Eraqus's Master Keeper/Master's Defender Keyblade. At the time I wrote the Second Darkness, the Keyblade wasn't named in official material so it was given a name to fill the gap.

****Darkness Seeker is Xehanort's No-Name/Gazing-Eye Keyblade. Like Mark of Mastery/Master Keeper/Master's Defender, the Keyblade didn't have a name at the time of writing the Second Darkness.

*****Oswald, Nixe, Yen Sid, and Lillian's Keyblades and Xehanort's base Keyblade, are all custom made Keyblades by me.


	14. Master Ory

Eraqus had pursued the Traveler through the Corridor of Darkness in Camelot. However, when he found the exit, he exited out into a large throne room, regally decorated in white walls with gold colored fixtures, large stained glass windows behind a trio of thrones. Eraqus slid to a stop as the Corridor closed behind him, his armor vanishing as he looked around in awe.

"Who~a…where am I?" he pondered aloud, making a full circle as he turned to look around. But when he turned back towards the front, he saw the Traveler glaring at him over his shoulder.

"I thought I had a tailgater." The Traveler said, Eraqus quickly dropping into his fighting stance. The Traveler turned towards him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ah the irony of you coming here of all places. Get used to this place. You're going to see a lot of it." The Traveler said, glancing over his shoulder.

"Where is here exactly?" Eraqus asked, not dropping out of his fighting stance. The Traveler raised his hands to motion around the room.

"This is the Land of Departure. It is a world well associated with the Keyblade's Chosen and also home to one of my three targets." The Traveler explained, causing Eraqus to snarl in anger.

"I won't let you harm anyone! I'll stop you right here!" he argued but the Traveler crossed his arms over his chest with a laugh.

"Ah how quickly he forgets. Hello! Time Traveler here! Why do you think I'm called the Traveler in the first place?! If you get in my way right now, there are still plenty of opportunities to deal with my targets in both the past and the future." The Traveler explained as Eraqus pointed his Keyblade at him.

"Not if I stop you here and now!" Eraqus said as the Traveler chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh relax. Your even being here right now has already put a small crimp in my immediate plans. So I'll be falling back to another position to await my target. So in other words, you won this round without even realizing it or putting up a fight. See you soon." The Traveler said before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. Eraqus saw him disappearing and quickly ran to try and stop him but he couldn't reach him in time before the Corridor closed, leaving nothing behind. Eraqus hissed in frustration.

"Who is this guy?" he muttered to himself. He then heard footsteps from nearby and looked towards one of the passages to see the Traveler emerging in a slow trudge from one of the hallways.

"Ha! You didn't get far!" Eraqus yelled, charging towards him. The Traveler looked towards him as he approached.

"Eraqus?" a voice asked. Eraqus quickly leapt at the Traveler and brought down his Keyblade only for it to strike something metal.

"Huh?!" Eraqus yelped as he pressed his Keyblade against another Keyblade made of a long thing black rod with a tooth shaped like three pigeons standing on the rod. Opposite the tooth were the N and E of a weather-vane. The guard was shaped like a small sack spilling out a trail of breadcrumbs in a half-circle. The keychain was that of a small handcarved wooden bird with a name written on it while the actual chain was in the shape of three small brown coins. It was one he recognized. The figure shoved him back, Eraqus pausing in surprise.

"Eraqus, what in the hell do you think you're doing?" the figure asked, reaching for its hood. He pulled it back to reveal an older man with disheveled long black hair, and at least a week or two's growth of a beard and goatee.

"Master Ory!" Eraqus commented as the older man gave a tired and confused nod.

"Yes it's me. Who did you think it was?" Ory asked. Eraqus dismissed his Keyblade, rubbing the back of his head.

"It's kind of a long story, and kinda hard to explain." Eraqus said as Ory dismissed his Keyblade, leaning against one wall and rubbing a hand over his face.

"Eraqus, in my state, a boring story of going to the store and back would sound long and hard to explain." He replied as Eraqus looked at him worriedly.

"Are you alright, Master? You don't look too good." Eraqus said as Ory shrugged tiredly.

"Tired. Exhausted. Drained. I've not slept properly in about two or three days. Maybe two, three, or four hours, if that, in total." Ory said, putting his back to the wall tiredly.

"Why's that?" Eraqus asked. This however caused Ory to smile with pride.

"Come, let me show you. But try to be quiet." Ory said, staggering forward a little before Eraqus caught him, carrying him with an arm around his back and Ory's arm over his shoulder.

"It happened about four…maybe five days ago? What day is it? Never mind. I've been traveling from world to world, searching for Dandelions…" Ory explained as they walked down the halls into the living quarters.

"Dandelions?" Eraqus asked, confused. Ory smiled.

"One of many terms used to describe each successive generation of Keyblade Wielders. The children chosen by the Keyblade. That was the task I undertook upon becoming a Keyblade Master. I figured it would be a good excuse to travel the worlds. See sights and wonders that few like us would ever get to see in our lifetimes. I admit, I only gave my mission a fleeting thought for most of it. Wandering from world to world like some tourist. I found a couple children chosen by the Keyblade but they're both newborns with loving parents. I couldn't take them away like that. But that all changed, when I found her…" Ory explained, coming to a stop at a door that was cracked open (Ambience Cue: At Dusk, I Will Think of You… 358/2 Days or KH1 Remix).

Eraqus looked at him curiously but Ory motioned to be quiet and go inside. Eraqus gave a nod and poked his head inside. The room was meant for Keyblade Masters and appeared to be that way. There was a desk, a large bed, a bookshelf…the typical modest trappings of a Keyblade Master. But there was something extra in the darkened room. A bassinette made of wood with a handmade mobile hanging over it, with small wooden keys, hearts, and even a little plush grey tabby cat creature hanging from it. Eraqus grinned and carefully approached. As he did though, he heard a cooing sound coming from within the bassinette and as he approached, he saw a young infant girl with brown hair, no more than a year old. The girl noticed Eraqus and smiled, cooing happily upon seeing him.

"She's beautiful. Who is she?" he asked as Ory shuffled into the room.

"Her name is Si'Lea. And she is my apprentice." Ory introduced with a smile, stepping closer to the bassinette. The moment the girl saw him she let out a happy squeal and started reaching for him.

"Your apprentice? But she's just a baby. How can you tell if she's even chosen by the Keyblade?" Eraqus asked as Ory sat down in the chair by his desk, leaning forward towards them on his arms.

"This is something you'll have to learn if you ever plan to find and train Apprentices someday. Take your Keyblade, and hold it close to her, gently." Ory instructed. Eraqus gave a nod and summoned his Keyblade, carefully moving it towards her. As he did, his Keyblade started to glow slightly with a pulsing light that got faster and brighter the closer it got. Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the air above the child. Eraqus looked up to see, floating in the air above her, was a long blue Keyblade resembling a crashing wave with a golden star within the tooth (The Brightcrest Keyblade), the Keyblade floating with a soft blue light that lit up the room. The Keyblade soon vanished, Eraqus looking on with a grin before dismissing his own.

"I found her in my journeys to the Distant Worlds. Sublime City in fact. She'd been left, abandoned on the steps of the old temple there. She had no name, so I gave her one." Ory explained with a yawn. Eraqus put his finger into the bassinette, the baby Si'Lea gripping his finger as tight as her little hands could, instinctively trying to pull his finger towards her mouth.

"You've been taking care of her, alone, all this time?" Eraqus asked as Ory gave a tired nod.

"Yes, indeed. Mark my words, Eraqus, I know you're sweet on that sister of Milly's but if you have kids and think parenting is easy…I may have to banish you to the Realm of Darkness." Ory said with a smile. Eraqus chuckled a little, looking towards him.

"Well I'm one step closer to Darkness then. I don't know if you've heard but, Lillian and I are engaged." Eraqus said as Ory grinned (End Ambiance Cue).

"Are you? Well congratulations. I knew you two would work great together. I suppose the excitement of marriage made you take leave of your senses, leading you to attack me." Ory said as Eraqus grimaced a little, having already forgotten about it.

"Oh, sorry about that, Master. I had you confused for someone else. There's some trouble in the worlds right now. Master Millicent's gone rogue. She and two other people, a Sorceress named Ultimecia, and someone named the Traveler, are scouring the worlds looking for something that would allow Millicent to prevent a future she foretold from coming true, but Master Yen Sid thinks she could cause irreparable harm to the worlds in the process." Eraqus said as Ory looked at him worriedly.

"That is serious. But why attack me? I'm not involved with them. I've been here for the past several days." Ory replied.

"Well the Traveler guy I mentioned, wears a black coat like yours. I thought you were him." Eraqus explained as Ory looked at one of his sleeves.

"Ah. I see. These black coats have been around since before the Keyblade War. They're used to travel the Darkness of the Void and the Lanes Between without risk to your Heart becoming corrupted by the Darkness. Basically Keyblade Armor without the armor benefits. They're also highly useful for shrouding your identity when you need to. Very useful for traveling worlds unseen, unnoticed, and unidentifiable. I've just not bothered changing clothes since bringing Si'Lea home." Ory explained. He then looked at Eraqus curiously.

"So what's with Master Millicent? What's going on with her?" Ory asked, yawning and rubbing his forehead with both hands.

"We're not entirely sure. She claims to have had a vision of a Dark Future. Now she's desperate to find a means of preventing it. She's looking for something called the Tempest." Eraqus said, causing Ory to snap his head back up towards him.

"Tempest…you didn't just say that, did you?" he asked, earning a confused look from Eraqus.

"Yeah, that's what I said." As a look of alarm flashed across his face.

"This isn't good. How close is she to finding it?" Ory asked but Eraqus shrugged.

"No idea. Do you know something about it?" Eraqus asked as Ory rose to his feet.

"Grab that bag of baby supplies and follow me. We're heading to Disneylahn." Ory instructed, moving to pick up Si'Lea out of her bassinette. Eraqus did as instructed, picking up a blue bag with a Mark of Mastery Insignia on it as they headed out into the hall.

"What is it? What do you know?" Eraqus asked as he followed Ory into the hall.

"Master Yen Sid asked me to do a little research for him in my travels. He wanted me to find out what the Tempest was and report back if I thought it was dangerous. He only wanted a simple kind of yes or no answer regarding it so as to remain ignorant of its power. But I still remember my findings." Ory explained as they entered the throne room.

"So you know what it is?" Eraqus asked as Ory gave a nod.

"I do, or rather I understand it the most out of everyone I would imagine. I've not actually seen it, but I've read the accounts of those who have known about it and understand it's power. I'd rather wait until we're at Disneylahn to explain in detail." Ory replied, stopping in the center of the throne room and summoning his Keyblade. He proceeded to tap the tip of it against the ground, causing a glowing line to shoot across the floor a short distance before branching off in opposite directions, curving around to create a full circle, lines forming within the circle to take the form of an outline resembling Disneylahn Castle. Eraqus looked at this in confusion.

"What is-…-this?" Eraqus asked as, in a flash of bright blue light, the entire throne room of the Land of Departure had vanished, being replaced by the throne room of Disneylahn. They looked around and almost instantly saw a startled Yen Sid, sitting on the center throne with a popsicle stick hanging out of his mouth and a large book sitting open on his lap.

"Come in, wipe your feet." Yen Sid said, still processing the sudden appearance of Eraqus and Ory.

"Master, the Tempest, has Master Millicent found it yet?" Ory asked, approaching him with Eraqus in tow.

"Hello Ory, nice to see you again too. I'm doing swell, how about you?" Yen Sid said as Ory sighed in frustration.

"Now isn't the time for your games, Master! Has Millicent found the Tempest yet?" Ory asked. Si'Lea started crying at the raised voices.

"Ory, is there something you want to tell me?" Yen Sid asked as Ory tried to pacify the baby girl.

"This is Si'Lea, she's a Dandelion. Master Ory's Apprentice." Eraqus explained as Yen Sid gave an understanding nod and gave a snap of his fingers, conjuring a bassinette out of thin air.

"Alright that's one mystery solved. As to your question…no clue in the slightest." Yen Sid said as Ory set the girl down in the bassinette, Si'Lea calming down right away.

"Then maybe there's still time to stop her from doing anything." Ory said as he sat down on one of the thrones, sitting down in the one nearest Si'Lea.

"Eraqus, well done on finding Master Ory. There's a reason we needed him. He's our foremost expert on the Tempest, believe it or not." Yen Sid said as Eraqus crossed his arms over his chest.

"You might've mentioned that before sending Lillian, Xehanort and I out to look for him." Eraqus said Yen Sid scratched his head.

"Didn't I? Huh, must've slipped my mind. Besides, I sent you out to stop Milly from finding the Tempest, with a side note to find Ory and bring him up to speed. Oh well, no time to dwell on that. Ory, what can you tell us about the Tempest?" Yen Sid asked. Ory yawned before answering.

"Wait, you said that Lillian and Xehanort are out looking for me?" he asked, both Eraqus and Yen Sid nodding in response.

"You may want to recall them. Let me give everyone an update at one time. Prevent prying ears from listening in." Ory said but Yen Sid grimaced a little.

"Yeah, about that…I've been trying to reach Eraqus, Lillian, and Xehanort for a while now using a D-Link. Something's blocking us for some reason." Yen Sid explained as Ory looked confused.

"Could they simply not be answering?" Ory asked but Eraqus looked at Yen Sid, confused.

"Wait, you've been trying to contact us? I've not sensed your connection to me at all." Eraqus said, placing a hand on his Mark of Mastery Badge on his chest, closing his eyes and attempting to connect with Lillian or Xehanort but got no response. He couldn't even feel the connection being made.

"That's because it's blocked. The fact you're here and haven't sensed the connection either confirms it. Something is blocking the connections from being made." Yen Sid explained as Eraqus looked at him worriedly.

"We've got to get through to them somehow. They could be getting mobbed by the Displaced right now." Eraqus said.

"The Displaced? They're here too? That explains it then." Ory said.

"How?" Eraqus asked.

"The Displaced arrive from a Wound in Time. A Dimension Link, or D-Link, allows people to connect across space _and_ time. Disrupt one, and you disrupt the D-Link. That Wound in Time is likely what is causing the disruption." Ory explained.

"Then I guess Eraqus will need to be our Messenger. Eraqus, your new immediate orders are to carry whatever information Master Ory has on the Tempest and the disruption to the D-Link to both Lillian and Xehanort. Once that's done, continue your mission to stop Millicent and her cohorts from finding the Tempest. This is still your Mark of Mastery Exam after all." Yen Sid said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Yes, Master." Eraqus said as Ory sat forward in his chair.

"Alright, Eraqus, I'll make it easy for you." Ory said, pulling a small blank white card from his sleeve pocket, placing a couple fingers on the card and closing his eyes. There was a brief glow of light from the card before he finally held it out towards Eraqus. Eraqus took the card and looked at it. On it was a shining, silvery, Mark of Mastery insignia that glowed slightly, almost mirror-like in its material.

"What is this?" Eraqus asked.

"It's a Memory Sticker. They allow for messages and information to be sealed and shared between specific people. I've placed an explanation of the Tempest and the Displaced within it. You need only to touch that insignia and it will play out its message for you. I've given it three charges, one for you, one for Lillian, and one for Xehanort." Ory explained as Eraqus looked at the card with a smile, impressed by the magic used in it.

"You can count on me." Eraqus said with a determined smile as he pocketed the card. Ory then stood up with a serious expression.

"Now, Eraqus, listen closely because this is important. If you think that Millicent, her confederates, or the Displaced might get a hold of that card, you must do all in your power to destroy it. It could easily lead them straight to the Tempest." Ory explained as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Yes, Master." Eraqus responded.

"Good. One last thing…how did you end up in the Land of Departure anyway?" Ory asked, curiously. Eraqus quietly scowled at this.

"I chased the Traveler there through a Corridor of Darkness. He said my being there prevented him from getting to his target." Eraqus said, alarming both Yen Sid and Ory.

"Target? You mean…" Ory asked as Eraqus nodded.

"Yes, Master. I think he was there to kill you." Eraqus replied. Ory smiled a little in response.

"I suppose I should be flattered that a time traveler is here to kill me. Must mean I'm some big and important pest to him in the future. I'd like to see him try to take me do-." Ory said, taking a step forward but missed his footing and stumbled, Yen Sid catching him.

"Whoa-there, Ory. You're not going anywhere until you've caught up on your sleep. I'll watch after the little ankle biter. You go saw some major logs, 'kay?" Yen Sid said as Ory smiled wearily.

"Yes, you're right. I'm no good to anyone like this. Eraqus, don't forget what I told you about that card." Ory said, sitting back down in the throne. He was mildly startled when it suddenly reclined, extending a foot-rest. He immediately looked at Yen Sid who gave a small salute to him, quietly acknowledging it was his magic that made the throne recline. Ory gave a small nod and smile in response, pulling his hood up and laying back to catch some sleep. Yen Sid then turned back to Eraqus.

"Eraqus…" Yen Sid said.

"Master?" Eraqus replied, motioning towards the door leading to the balcony, leading the Apprentice to the balcony. Once outside, Yen Sid cleared his throat.

"I don't like this. I have a suspicion as to the true motives of our time traveling guests." Yen Sid said as Eraqus looked at him worriedly.

"What do you mean, Master?" Eraqus asked.

"Lillian recently encountered one of the time travelers, the Sorceress Ultimecia, in Oswald's home world. She attacked his brother, Mort-…I mean Mickey by sending a Displaced after him. And now this attack on Ory has given me new insight as to what they might be really after." Yen Sid said with a grim expression.

"What is it?" Eraqus asked.

"Up until Lillian's visit to Timeless River, Mickey, Oswald's brother, didn't even know he had a Keyblade until he had to use it to defend against the Displaced that Ultimecia unleashed upon them. And now Master Ory is on their hit list, now that he's found a Dandelion…see what I'm getting at here, Eraqus?" Yen Sid asked as Eraqus took a step back in alarm.

"They're targeting Dandelions!" Eraqus said in shock and horror.

"Maybe. We don't have enough evidence. But if it's true, then they could be potentially eliminating a whole generation of the Keyblade's Chosen. To strangle them in their cribs before they grow up to become a potential threat. Did the Traveler say whether he was after Ory specifically or did he not give a straight answer?" Yen Sid asked. Eraqus shook his head in response.

"No sir. He was nebulous. He did mention something about having some kind of a hit list. Something about knowing the major players and putting them on the board." Eraqus explained as Yen Sid started scratching his bearded chin, looking inward towards the sleeping Ory and the sleeping Si'Lea.

"Hmm…best go about your mission, Eraqus. Pardon the cliché, all things considered, but Time isn't on our side right now. Last I heard, your fiancée was headed towards the world known as Radiant Garden. You might want to start there first." Yen Sid ordered as Eraqus gave a nod, turning and summoning his Keyblade Glider and armor, taking to the stars as Yen Sid walked back into the castle. The world then faded to black before the blackness faded away, the chapter having ended. Axel smirked at Terra right off.

"Nice girlfriend you have there. Really robbing the cradle, eh?" Axel asked but Terra shook his head and rolled his eyes at Axel's teasing.

"You realize that this was thirty-one years ago, Axel." Even retorted. Axel was about to retort when Ansem chuckled a little.

"Even, you should consider beginning research into friendly teasing and comedy." Ansem said, eliciting a few laughs from everyone except Even who glanced away in mild embarrassment, and Ven and Aqua who both sat with worried expressions on their faces.

"Aqua? Ven? Is something wrong?" Mickey asked.

"Something's not right. Master Yen Sid was the one who trained Si'Lea, wasn't he?" Ven asked, a worried expression on his face.

"Yeah, he was." Aqua replied, worriedly.

"So then, if Master Ory was Si'Lea's Master…then how did she end up as Master Yen Sid's Apprentice?" Ven asked.

"Ya think maybe the Traveler changed how things were supposed ta be?" Goofy asked a little worriedly.

"Maybe. But then we've no real way of knowing, do we?" Ienzo asked as Ansem gave a nod.

"Agreed. I know I am probably repeating something that's been said several times before. But I believe Master Lillian may have already prepared an explanation for us. We need only continue the story." Ansem said.

"Before we go in, I gotta ask. Aqua, that sticker thingy Ory used. Haven't you used that before?" Axel asked as Aqua gave a nod.

"That's right, I have. Back when we were dealing with the Neo-Beings. I left you a message on the back of Master Eraqus's Tome." Aqua replied.

"That'd come in handy for writing books. Imagine storing whole volumes of information in them." Ienzo commented but Aqua shook her head.

"They don't work like that. They're more useful as letters. They can only activate for specific people and only hold a limited number of charges before they fade. See? The one on the Book of Eraqus is gone now." Aqua said, showing the now blank back cover of Master Eraqus's Master's Tome.

"It's still worth investigating for a more long term solution." Even said, writing something down on his clipboard.

"A long term solution already exists, Even. It's sitting before us." Ansem said, motioning to the Arcana Librium.

"Alright then, everybody ready for the next chapter?" Aqua asked, earning silent nods from everyone before raising her hand towards the book, the world turning black as the next chapter began…

* * *

**End Chapter 14**

The Keyblade Master Ory uses is an original co-designed by myself and two readers on my Discord Server (Shout out to Mysterii & Joekeybladeaura). The Keyblade is called Two-Pence. The significance of it will be explained later in the story. An earlier version of the chapter had Ory using one of the evolved versions of the Sleeping Lion Keyblade from Union Cross.

In terms of Voice Actor, I imagine Master Ory being voiced by Travis Willingham, best known as the voice of Colonel Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist, among other notable anime voice acting roles.

And yes, Ory is an anagram of Roy. But in this case it's a reference to both Roys of the Disney family. Roy O. Disney, the older brother of Walt Disney. And it's also a reference to Roy E. Disney, Roy O's son and Walt's Nephew.

I also want to go ahead and clarify that there is no relation (at least no blood ties) between Yen Sid, Lillian, Ory, or Si'Lea given that they're all named after members of the Walt Disney family (although Yen Sid and Si'Lea are both named after Walter "Walt" Elias Disney).


	15. Schemers & Scoundrels

In the outskirts of Radiant Garden, on a lonely mesa of blue rock at the end of a canyon, far beyond the city's walls, the Traveler stood looking towards the city with his arms crossed. He was soon joined by Ultimecia as she arrived in a Corridor of Darkness.

"Be careful that you don't let our puppet see you using those. It could force us to execute our contingency plan." The Traveler said as Ultimecia approached him.

"It's not as if she could withstand us. I wonder why we even bother with this deception anyway? It's only a matter of time until she discovers our true intentions." Ultimecia said as the Traveler gave a nod.

"Yes, but we still need her to help us locate the Tempest, and ultimately, to even use it." The Traveler said as Ultimecia arched a curious eyebrow.

"You realize she has a sister, also gifted with a Foreteller's sight. We could use her just as easily." Ultimecia suggested but the Traveler shook his head.

"She's not as pliable as her sister is. Millicent is convinced that the Tempest will allow her to prevent the Dark Future she's foreseen. She's willing to work with us, to use the Darkness as a means of destroying itself. A willing puppet is far more effective than an unwilling one. That is why Millicent is far more useful to us. But, if we end up somehow losing her, then yes, Lillian will have to take her place." The Traveler replied.

"I have means of…securing her loyalty." Ultimecia said as the Traveler laughed.

"I'm sure. But Millicent amuses me. Hilariously, we tend to create what we dread. The old adage, 'a self-fulfilling prophecy' very easily applies to Millicent." The Traveler said as Ultimecia turned inward towards the mesa.

"I know it's out of the way, but why come to this spot?" Ultimecia asked with a curious smile. The Traveler turned inwards to face the Mesa.

"Because it is in this spot, that a great monument to the Darkness will be constructed. This world will fall into Darkness, and the castle built here will remain as a reminder of this world's fall. The world will fall so far into Darkness that even its name will be forgotten. This Radiant Garden will become nothing more than a Hollow Bastion." The Traveler said as Ultimecia smiled.

"Ah, I see. You know the fate of this world." Ultimecia said as the Traveler gave a nod.

"Indeed…ah, here comes our 'fearless leader' now." The Traveler said as he saw a Corridor of pulsating purple and white light opening near them, Millicent emerging from within before closing.

"Have we found anything?" Millicent asked.

"Nothing yet. The Displaced haven't really been all that effective." The Traveler replied as Millicent sighed in frustration.

"Search harder. We've got some competition for the Tempest now. And he's conniving and determined enough he may be able to find it before us." Millicent said, visibly frustrated.

"Xehanort?" the Traveler asked.

"Yes. He's seeking the Tempest for his own means. I'd rather surrender my tome than let him find the Tempest. At least then we'd be able to prevent any Darkness he would potentially bring upon the Worlds." Millicent said as she looked towards Radiant Garden.

"What of Eraqus and your sister? Do you think they might find the Tempest before us?" the Traveler asked.

"Possibly. It depends on if they've found Master Ory first." Millicent muttered, causing the Traveler and Ultimecia to exchange glances, Ultimecia smirking darkly while the Traveler's expressions remained unseen due to his hood.

"Master Ory?" Ultimecia asked as the Traveler moved to stand to the left of Millicent.

"He's the Keyblade Master that Master Yen Sid assigned to investigate the Tempest. He's been traveling the worlds, partially out of wanderlust but also partly due to his mission to search for the Dandelions, the next generation of Keyblade Wielders. If anyone knows anything about the Tempest, it's Ory." Millicent explained.

"Perhaps we can use that to our advantage, Master." Ultimecia said as Millicent glanced her way.

"How?" she asked.

"What if I told you that I know of four Dandelions already? Master Ory would likely have placed some kind of spell upon them to warn him if they were put in danger. What if we were to do just that? Surely, that would draw him out." the Traveler explained, earning a shocked look from Millicent.

"That would be inhuman! Heartless even! I'm not sure I can condone such an act!" Millicent said.

"But consider that if we can draw out Master Ory, and get him to lead us to the Tempest, then we could wipe the slate clean. To use the Tempest to undo any damage we might've caused." Ultimecia explained. Millicent pondered for a moment.

"I still don't like this idea. I'd rather not stoop to such a low." Millicent said as the Traveler shrugged.

"Just a thought, Master. In the meantime I suppose, we can continue as before. Aimlessly searching with the Displaced. I will say that there are at least two or three worlds worth investigating. I have the Displaced sniffing around those worlds even as we speak." The Traveler reported.

"Just be sure to try and not meddle in the affairs of those worlds. I don't care if it leads us to finding the Tempest or not. The smaller the mess, the quicker the cleanup." Millicent said as the Traveler and Ultimecia both nodded in agreement.

"As you wish, Master." Ultimecia said.

"Good. There's something I wish to investigate. A possible lead. Hopefully it will prove fruitful." Millicent said as she turned, summoning her Keyblade and pointing it in front of her. The Keyblade shined with a light that traveled up from the pommel to the tip before firing a beam of light that proceeded to strike a place in the air, opening another Corridor of pulsating purple and white light. Millicent proceeded to walk through the Corridor, the Corridor closing behind her. The Traveler and Ultimecia watched her leave.

"Now that she's out of the way…" the Traveler muttered, turning towards the Sorceress.

"What is our next move?" Ultimecia asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She's not wrong about Master Ory. He would be the foremost expert on the Tempest. Targeting the Dandelions will most assuredly draw him out. Did you try targeting the one in Timeless River as I instructed?" the Traveler asked as Ultimecia grimaced in slight pain from the memory.

"That world is bathed in the Light. I found the Dandelion there but the other Foreteller was already there." Ultimecia said as the Traveler put a hand to the back of his head.

"Ah, yes. I had forgotten about that little detail. The Cornerstone of Light protects that world from the Darkness. Oops, my bad." The Traveler said as Ultimecia gave a light shrug.

"I don't believe targeting the Mouse King of Timeless River was a wise choice in the first place. He was in a far more defensible position." Ultimecia replied.

"The other three won't be as protected. There's the one here in Radiant Garden you can deal with. I'd recommend starting here." The Traveler said as he turned away to leave.

"Do you mind satisfying my curiosity then? How do you know who these Dandelions are? Your instructions regarding them are…vexing to say the least." She said, causing him to pause.

"Every game of chess has something in common with each other. The old saying goes that at the end of the game, the black king and the white queen go into the same box, or something like that. But what few ever think about is what happens to the board and the pieces before the game can even begin." The Traveler explained before vanishing in a Corridor of Darkness. Ultimecia smiled darkly and vanished in another Corridor, leaving the mesa empty. But in the sky just over Radiant Garden, there was a brief flash of light.

…

Eraqus had just entered Radiant Garden, walking though town, looking at it with slight awe. He entered the marketplace, scanning through the small crowds of people, searching for anyone resembling Lillian. As he searched, he didn't notice the Corridor of Darkness open atop one of the buildings. Ultimecia however, did notice him almost instantly.

"Ah, we meet again. Perhaps a different approach is called for with you." Ultimecia said as her wings closed around her and she vanished in a purple haze that went unnoticed by everyone below.

As he walked, through the town he stopped to allow an older woman to pass as she exited the jewelry store. She looked to be in her early forties, had a friendly round face with a gentle expression and blue eyes. She wore her thick and silvery-blonde hair in a bun, and wore a sleeveless purple dress, a maroon cloth worn tied around her neck and draped slightly over her shoulders, and brown loafers on her feet. She also had a silver ring on her left ring finger. She gave him a polite smile and nod as she went on her way, Eraqus returning the smile and nod before continuing on his way. A second later, he heard a scream behind him. He spun around and saw the woman had been knocked down and three boys were running away. Eraqus scowled and ran towards her.

"Are you alright ma'am?" he asked, helping her up.

"Yes, I think so. Those little scoundrels just-…wait…where did it-…oh no!" the woman yelped as she felt around for something.

"Something wrong?" Eraqus asked.

"Those scoundrels stole the box I just bought!" Eraqus scowled as he saw the boys round a corner head of him (Chase Music Cue: Scherzo Di Notte – KH2).

"I'll get it back!" Eraqus replied, taking off after the boys.

"Do be careful!" the woman called as Eraqus ran off, pursuing the boys around the corner. He saw them running ahead and starting to slow down, assuming they'd made a getaway and that no one was after them.

"Hey! You three! Get back here!" Eraqus yelled, the two boys looking at him and then took off running again. Eraqus scowled as he started gaining ground on them.

"Quick, through the alley!" he heard one of them say, the three turning and running towards an alleyway. Eraqus turned to pursue them but one of them slammed a gate in his face, causing him to slide to a stop. He heard the click of a lock from the other side and smirked.

"Oh so that's the way it's going to be eh?" Eraqus asked, summoning his Keyblade, aiming it at the lock, shooting a white beam at the lock and unlocking the gate. He quickly continued the chase, rounding the corner in time with his Keyblade dismissed to find the boys standing near an oil drum they were using for a table. They all looked at him in surprise, astonished that he was able to get through the gate. (End Chase Music)

"Alright boys, hand it over." Eraqus said, reaching out his hand. The boys looked at each other defiantly. They seemed to be about ten years old, give or take a year or two. The one on the left was a blond with a blue long-sleeved t-shirt and white shorts with black boots. The center boy had black hair kept long down the back. He wore a white shirt with a grey windbreaker and matching slacks and brown boots. The third was the tallest of the three and had scraggly orange hair and a strong jaw. He wore a dirty white tank-top, dirty and baggy brown pants, and no shoes.

"In exchange for what?" the middle boy asked, holding up a long pink box with a five pointed star embossed in silver thread on the lid.

"Dilan, don't." the blond said, pleadingly. The tall one nodded in agreement, putting his hand on the black haired boy's shoulder. Dilan finally sighed.

"Fine, here." He said, handing the box over. Eraqus quietly pocketed the box and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Thank you, but why'd you steal it? For munny?" Eraqus asked but the three looked at each other for a moment.

"Well…" Dilan replied.

"We were bored." The tall one replied bluntly.

"Aeleus!" Dilan hissed to him in frustration.

"It's true though. I told you that was a bad idea." The blond argued.

"It was your idea though, Even!" Dilan argued, Aeleus nodding in agreement.

"You guys asked me what we should've done because you were bored. I just offhandedly wondered if we could steal something. I figured we could if we did it right but I didn't mean we actually should've done it." Even argued.

"Boys, hang on, you mean to tell me you stole this because you were bored?" Eraqus asked as the three all nodded.

"Uh-huh." Even replied.

"There's nothing to do around here." Dilan added. Aeleus silently nodded in agreement.

"Then why not try and make this world a better place?" Eraqus asked, kneeling down to their level. The three boys looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" Dilan asked.

"You boys seem like you're good at heart. Instead of being bored, why not go look for ways to help others?" Eraqus asked.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Even asked.

"Yeah, we're kinda famous around here as troublemakers." Dilan added, Aeleus nodding in agreement.

"Well, us and one other guy." Aeleus added.

"Then you would know trouble when you see it. Why not use that to your advantage?" Eraqus suggested.

"How?" Dilan asked but Even seemed to catch on.

"Oh, I know. He means use our skills to help people and catch bad guys." Even suggested.

"But how?" Dilan asked. Even pondered for a moment before smiling in realization.

"I know, I could design stuff to help people. Like the lady who just had a baby. Her stroller needs a new wheel. I could design a new one." Even explained.

"But we stole that wheel in the first place, didn't we?" Dilan asked but Aeleus shook his head.

"No, that was the other kid." He replied. Eraqus smiled as they brainstormed between themselves, watching with a silent chuckle.

"Oh." Dilan replied.

"Then, invent a theft-proof wheel." Eraqus suggested.

"Yeah!" Even replied.

"Thanks mister. I thought for sure you were going to beat us or something." Dilan said but Eraqus stood up.

"Not unless you guys do something foolish again. Okay?" Eraqus asked, turning to leave.

"Hey, how did you unlock the gate, anyway?" Even asked but Eraqus smirked at them from over his shoulder.

"That's my little secret, boys!" Eraqus called as he left the alleyway, stepping back out onto the streets. Everything suddenly froze in place as Aqua paused the story, everyone coming back into view. Everyone was staring at the stunned Even, Aeleus, and Dilan.

"That man…" Even stammered.

"That was Master Eraqus?" Dilan asked.

"I'd forgotten all about him." Aeleus commented. The three were in stunned shock.

"How did you not know this?" Terra asked.

"He never once told us his name! How were we supposed to know he was your Keyblade Master?!" Even argued defensively.

"It's true though. Why…if it wasn't for him, we probably wouldn't have cleaned up our act." Dilan said as Aeleus cleared his throat.

"That is until we turned on Lord Ansem." He muttered.

"Well for what it's worth, Master Eraqus would be proud to see the three of you working to redeem yourselves." Terra said, standing up. Mickey stood up and gave a nod too.

"You're not part of the Darkness anymore. You three and Zexion are back on the right path." Mickey added.

"Yeah, you ain't the same fellers Sora faced back then. You've got a second chance." Goofy said as Donald nodded.

"More like a third chance to me." Donald added.

"Well…I suppose we have." Even said, unsure of his answer. Axel then stood up with a groan.

"Oh stop second guessing yourself, Vexen. It's not like you. Besides, if you didn't feel some guilt you'd have come right after me head on upon seeing me. I am the one who burnt you to a cinder in Castle Oblivion after all. Don't you have any animosity about that?" Axel asked as Even pondered this.

"And Zexion, you've probably got some kind of a grudge against me. I did convince the Riku Replica to try and absorb your power after all." Axel said, Ienzo blinking in realization.

"I hadn't forgotten about that Axel, but…try as I might to feel anger about it…I can't. I feel…relief, gratitude." Even said, surprised by his own emotions, as Ienzo rose to his feet.

"It's because, although your motives were self-serving, you essentially freed us from the Darkness." Ienzo added as Axel grinned towards him.

"You're welcome. Got it memorized?" he asked.

"Ah, but there is one thing that I am angry about, Axel." Even said as Axel arched a curious eyebrow.

"Huh?" Axel asked before Even snarled in frustration and pointed to himself.

"Stop calling us by those names! It's Even! Dilan! Aeleus! Ienzo! Commit it to memory!" Even hissed, pointing to each of his fellow ex-Organization XIII collogues when saying their names and then tapping the side of his head, parodying Axel's catchphrase. Axel blinked in surprise while everyone laughed at Even's outburst and Axel's reaction.

"Alright, I think we're ready to move on now." Aqua said as everyone sat down. Once everyone was seated, Aqua raised her hand and resumed the chapter.

Eraqus had just emerged from the alleyway. As he did, he looked around and noticed a woman walking past and away from him, down the street to his right, carrying something in her arms. This woman wore a pink hooded cloak and skirt with a faded purple sash across the front. The hood obscured most of her face above the nose. Paying the woman no mind, he looked to the left and saw the older woman from earlier approaching, but she hadn't noticed him. Eraqus started to approach her, the box in his left hand. As he did though, his Keyblade suddenly appeared in his other hand.

"Huh? That's strange." He muttered, looking around but saw no Displaced around. He tried dismissing it but it wouldn't go away. He shrugged and quickly hurried to intercept the older woman.

"Hey, I got your box back! As promised." Eraqus said, the woman looking at him, startled.

"Oh! Yes, thank you. I greatly appreciate it." She said, smiling at him with her yellow eyes as she took the box, pocketing it.

"Well I better be off now. Take care." Eraqus said as he started to walk away.

"Oh, uh, yes. Right." She replied, continuing on her way. As she walked away a dark smile appeared on her face. Eraqus was looking at his Keyblade curiously as he walked away. He looked around but still saw no Displaced around. He then turned and looked towards the older woman walking away and a suspicious look appeared on his face. He decided to start to walk quickly after her. He followed her to the outer gardens where he could see the younger woman in pink sitting down on the edge of one of the fountains, resting a bundle of blue cloth partly in her arm, rocking herself back and forth slightly. Eraqus however returned his attention to the older woman who started to approach the younger.

"Huh?" the younger asked, looking at the older as she approached. The older raised a hand in the air with a dark grin on her face, conjuring a large glowing blue double-headed axe to her hand. The woman gasped in fear as the older woman reared back the axe before swinging at her. The woman looked away in fear but heard the sound of metal striking metal, followed by the sound of metal scraping against metal. The younger woman looked back to see Eraqus between her and the older, holding his Keyblade against the axe, blocking the attack (Ambiance Cue: Face it! – CoM).

"Run! I'll hold her off! Get to safety!" Eraqus ordered as the woman unquestioningly got up and started running, carrying the object in her hands away and back towards the city. Eraqus and the older woman leapt back, Eraqus scowling at her and receiving a sneering look of contempt from the older woman.

"I knew something was up about you! My Keyblade wouldn't go away! It's a reliable means of sensing danger!" Eraqus said as the woman smiled darkly.

"Very good, I am impressed that a locust like you were able to figure it out." The woman said with a familiar voice. Eraqus recognized it instantly and snarled.

"Ultimecia! What have you done to her?!" he asked but Ultimecia merely smiled, a visage of her true form appearing around the woman.

"This body isn't very strong. Not physically, not magically…it doesn't have much of an advantage short of a simple disguise…or as a hostage and a shield." Ultimecia said with a dark grin.

"So you're possessing her?!" Eraqus asked as Ultimecia chuckled, looking at her host's hands curiously.

"She's still in here. She's quite confused and afraid at the moment." Ultimecia said with a coy smile.

"What were trying to do here? Who was that woman?!" Eraqus asked. Ultimecia smirked at him coyly.

"My target." She replied.

"Target? Why her? Who is she?" Eraqus asked but Ultimecia merely chuckled.

"That's all you're getting from me. My target's run off, so now I shall take my leave for the time being." She said, turning to depart but paused when a magic blue dome of hexagonal tiles formed over the whole outer gardens, trapping her inside with Eraqus.

"Not until you leave that woman's body!" Eraqus said as she turned towards him with a smirk.

"And if I refuse? Would you be willing to kill the hostage to stop the criminal?" she asked coyly, causing Eraqus to grimace in frustration.

"Ah but what if he had some backup?!" a voice asked. Ultimecia's eyes widened in response to this and she quickly leapt back in time to avoid a shimmering blue orb of light that flew between them on a long golden chain before quickly retracting back. Eraqus and Millicent both looked to see Professor Co standing nearby, spinning his pocket watch on its chain, creating a shining blue orb around the watch itself, the light from the orb creating a ring of blue light as it spun.

"Have we met?" Ultimecia asked, curiously as Co stepped up next to Eraqus.

"Not once. But I know who you are. You're not supposed to be in this time, this place, or that woman! By my authority, you will leave all three at once!" Co ordered.

"And if I refuse?" she asked with a coy smirk but found the tip of Eraqus's Keyblade pointed at her face.

"We'll take our chances!" Eraqus replied but Ultimecia smiled darkly in response.

"Then may her past, present, and future end with the both of you!" Ultimecia said as her visage vanished and she dropped back with a surge of red and black energy around her.

* * *

**End Chapter 15.**

Next up the two-on-one matchup between Eraqus and Co versus Ultimecia.


	16. Hostage Situation

(Battle Music Cue: Force Your Way -arrange- - Dissidia Final Fantasy 012/Final Fantasy VIII)

Eraqus and Co stood staring down Ultimecia in the possessed woman's body. Ultimecia took the first strike thrusting a hand forward, conjuring three lances made of cyan blue magic to burst out of a purple hued portal in midair towards the two but Eraqus and Co leapt to opposite sides, Eraqus spinning around and hurling a Firaga at her but the fireball was intercepted by a volley of red dagger-like bolts of energy being fired from her hands, forcing Eraqus onto the defensive. Ultimecia smirked as Eraqus evaded her attacks but quickly had to leap away and start evading Co's attacks as he started rapidly slinging his pocket watch, aglow with blue magic energy, at her before retracting it back into his sleeve, similarly in style to a yo-yo, on its chain. Ultimecia finally caught the pocket watch, pulling it on it

"It seems you're in a rush to die." Ultimecia said, smugly towards him. Co though just grinned a little as a glowing red light suddenly surged from his sleeve down his watch chain, towards the pocket watch. Ultimecia's eyes widened as the light hit her hand, causing a crackling red energy to surge across her host body, Ultimecia grimacing in pain for a moment. Eraqus came running in with his Keyblade ready to strike but Ultimecia vanished in a brief haze just as he was within striking distance, reappearing nearby. Eraqus and Co spun towards her, standing at the ready.

"Can I just take a moment to appreciate this?" Co asked, earning a brief curious look from Eraqus.

"What do you mean?" Eraqus asked.

"Let's just say I'm ecstatic about getting to fight beside you." Co replied with a wide excited grin before both charged towards Ultimecia, both men starting to attack her at once, Eraqus swinging his Keyblade while Co spun and slung his pocket watch, Ultimecia evading and counterattacking by conjuring magic lances, firing red daggers at them, or swinging the conjured axes at them but they'd evade or parry each attack. This back and forth continued for what seemed like ten seconds, neither side gaining an advantage until finally Ultimecia sneered and vanished again in another haze, reappearing behind the two men.

"Enough! On your knees!" she commanded, beginning to fire a barrage of purple arrows into the air, the arrows flying up into the air before arcing down towards Eraqus and the Professor, both men scrambling to evade the arrows as they crashed into the ground. Eraqus quickly leapt into the air, pointing his Keyblade at Ultimecia. He suddenly conjured eight swords made of light around him, the blades spinning around him as he touched the ground. He quickly lunged towards her, forcing Ultimecia to evade him, floating over the ground, flying away from him with a smirk. She was startled however when Eraqus swung his Keyblade across in front of him, sending all eight swords flying towards her. She quickly had to evade these swords as they homed in on her but all eight crashed either into the ground or into the barrier. Co quickly ran up to Eraqus.

"We've got to get her out of that lady!" he said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Yeah we do. Any ideas?" Eraqus asked as Ultimecia touched down, standing ready for their next move.

"Yes but they all involve killing the poor lass, and that…" Co said, looking at his pocket watch and almost recoiling, "…that would be disastrous."

"So get her out without killing her?" Eraqus asked, pointing his Keyblade at her.

"If you don't want the timeline to be irrevocably damaged, aye." Co replied. Eraqus looked at him curiously for a moment before looking back at her and gave a nod.

"Got it." He said before charging towards Ultimecia, keeping his Keyblade pointed towards her as he ran. She stood standing at the ready but Eraqus slid to a stop, his Keyblade reared across to one side as petals of pink energy fluttered around him. Recognizing the attack, she spun out of the way just before Eraqus flew past with his Zantetzukan attack. In retaliation, Ultimecia spun towards him, conjuring a purple hued portal beneath his feet. Eraqus leapt clear just in time as three lances burst up from the ground beneath him. She started to hover back and away from him but had to quickly double back as Co started flinging a shotgun-like-spray of blue magic bullets her way by spinning his pocket watch quickly and low to the ground so that it scraped the ground. Ultimecia raised her hand in retaliation only for a chain of glowing light to ensnare her wrist and pull it towards the ground. She tried to pull free but another chain wrapped around her other wrist, trapping her in place. She looked up to see Eraqus aglow with light and his free hand stretched out towards her.

"You're going to release that woman this instant!" Eraqus ordered but Ultimecia smirked.

"And if I don't? Are you prepared to destroy her just to get to me?" she asked but Eraqus shook his head. And raised his Keyblade towards her with both hands.

"No but I won't have to!" he replied as Ultimecia smirked, confident that any move he made would end up killing her host. This confidence shattered instantly when she noticed a glow in her host's chest and saw the glowing outline of a keyhole appearing.

"No!" Ultimecia hissed as Eraqus's Keyblade shined with light before firing a beam straight from the tip, flying towards her chest and striking the keyhole. Ultimecia writhed in agony as her visage appeared over her host, the beam continuing until finally Ultimecia's visage was launched backwards from the woman, Ultimecia and the woman separating, the Sorceress tumbling to the ground while the woman collapsed to the ground but was caught by Co (End Battle Music). Eraqus quickly ran up and put himself between the woman and Ultimecia, his Keyblade raised defensively as the Sorceress rose to her feet by magic, crossing her hands over her chest with a defiantly confident smile on her face.

"Consider yourself fortunate that she was a poor choice for a host. Otherwise neither one of you would've stood a chance." She said smugly despite having lost the battle.

"Who said we're through? We're not done!" Eraqus asked but Ultimecia held up the small pink box he'd given her accidently.

"Fate does not smile upon you. You will meet an unfortunate end if you continue to oppose us. We shall meet again but the next time will end far differently." Ultimecia said before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. Eraqus stood down, the magic dome disappearing as he turned towards the woman in Co's arms.

"Is she alright?" he asked.

"Aye, she'll live. There's no telling what she may or may not remember though." Co replied as she started to stir, putting a hand to her head.

"W-what happened? W-where-…?" she stammered as Eraqus and Co helped her to her feet.

"Easy does it, do you remember what happened?" Eraqus asked.

"I-I think so, yes. Thank you young man. Both of you." She said, visibly disturbed by what had just happened.

"We're just glad you're alright. Ultimecia's gone now. She shouldn't be bothering you again." Eraqus said as the woman smiled and nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you again. It's not something I want to experience ever again." She replied as Co cleared his throat.

"If you'd like, I know a spell that can erase this whole encounter from your memory. You won't ever remember it." Co said. The woman looked reluctant though.

"I'm not sure if I do or not. Let me think about that for a while before I decide. In the meantime I feel like I should do something to repay the both of you for saving me." She said but both men shook their heads.

"Not at all. If anything I've still not finished the job I said I'd do for you." Eraqus said as the woman arched a confused eyebrow.

"Job?" she asked.

"Getting that box that was stolen from you back. I accidently gave it to Ultimecia, thinking it was you. I still need to get it back for you." Eraqus said but the woman shook her head.

"Oh, heavens, no. Please don't trouble yourself like that. It's not worth your lives over." She said but Eraqus smiled and rested his hands behind his head.

"Nope, sorry. Mind's made up. I'm getting you that box back, even if it's the last thing I do." Eraqus said as the woman sighed with a smile.

"You are an incredibly brave young man." She said before turning towards Co who was looking at his watch.

"And you, sir. Is there anything I can do for you as thanks?" she asked as Co tapped his chin.

"Well, while you still have your memory of it, do you remember anything about what Ultimecia wanted here? What was she after? Her plans? Anything?" Co asked as the woman looked thoughtful.

"It's a little fuzzy but she seemed to be after that poor girl. She wanted to kill her for some reason. She seemed to think she was some kind of a flower." The Woman explained. Eraqus's eyes widened in alarm at this.

"A flower? You mean a Dandelion?" he asked as the woman gave a nod.

"Yes, exactly! Does that mean anything important?" she asked.

"Best you not know too much, ma'am. These are matters that could effect more than just this town." Co said as the woman nodded with a smile.

"Yes, of course, I understand." She replied, surprising Co and Eraqus.

"You do?" Eraqus asked.

"Yes. You're both from another world. From among the stars. Ultimecia particularly disliked you for the weapon you carry. What is it? It seems powerful." The woman said as Eraqus looked at his Keyblade for a moment, resting it on his shoulder with a smile.

"It's a long story, ma'am. Like something out of fairy tales." Eraqus explained but the woman smiled gently at him.

"I happen to enjoy fairy tales. But I understand if you don't have the time to share it with me. I can tell you have more pressing matters to attend to. I'd prefer that you see to them." She said as Eraqus smiled and gave a nod.

"Thanks, but once I get that box back for you ma'am, I'll tell you the story." Eraqus said as the woman smiled but with an arched eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips in slight annoyance.

"Please don't call me ma'am. I'd appreciate it if you'd address me by my name." she said as Eraqus and Co looked at each other, hoping one or the other knew her name but neither one did.

"Uh…no offense but, what is your name?" Co asked as the woman blushed and briefly covered her mouth in mild embarrassment.

"Oh goodness me, how forgetful of me. I suppose I should properly introduce myself. My name, is Namine." She introduced.

"I'm Eraqus." Eraqus introduced but Co was looking at her curiously.

"Namine? Hang on a minute." He said, looking at his watch again before snapping it shut with a wide grin.

"You have any grandchildren, ma'am?" he asked but Namine blushed.

"What?! Me?! Please, I'm only forty! But, I hope to one day. My daughter only just got married recently so maybe there's one on the way. Perhaps? Perhaps not. I can't say." Namine replied as Eraqus glanced towards Co.

"That's kind of an odd question to ask someone." Eraqus said but Co shrugged, backing away.

"Sorry, had to get my Namines straight. Welp, gotta dash! Time flies and what not! Ta!" Co said before turning and opening a door in the air, disappearing through it.

"What a strange little man. I never even got his name." Namine said as Eraqus shrugged a little.

"Yeah he's kinda like that. But I need to be going too." Eraqus said as Namine smiled and nodded understandingly.

"Of course. If you come back with the box, you should be able to find me outside the castle. I tend the gardens there occasionally." She said. Eraqus smiled and gave a small salute with his hand.

"You can count on me ma'a-err-I-mean Namine. And, listen, I hate to ask this of you, but could you keep an eye on that woman, the Dandelion? I have a bad feeling that Ultimecia or someone just as bad if not worse may come back for her." Eraqus said as Namine gave a nod.

"Absolutely. I'll keep a close eye on her." Namine said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Thanks, I greatly appreciate it." He said before turning away and summoning his armor, throwing his Keyblade into the air. He then looked back towards her, his helmet disappearing as he smiled at her over his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll be back sooner than you think." He said as his Keyblade Glider descended to the ground. Namine nodded with a smile and watched as Eraqus took to the sky, vanishing in a twinkle of light. The chapter was suddenly paused by Aqua.

"Was that really Namine? She looks all grown up!" Axel remarked. He, Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Mickey had all been stunned by the woman's introducing herself as such.

"It's not, Namine. Not the one you're familiar with at least." Ansem replied.

"You know her?" Aqua asked as Ansem smiled and nodded.

"Indeed. She tended the gardens outside my castle for decades. I knew her quite well. She was a kind woman. Gentle and compassionate." Ansem replied, smiling warmly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather bound book, flipping through it before passing it to Ienzo who looked at it and smiled, standing up and carrying it over to Aqua. Ven, Terra, Mickey, and Axel all gathered closer to look at what was inside. It was a photograph of Ansem with his Apprentices, plus an older woman in similar clothes that strongly resembled the Namine in the story only far older, seated in a chair outside the Castle.

"This photograph was taken during a small celebration to honor her years of tending the gardens. I felt it necessary to honor her somehow, although she would accept no reward or honors." Ansem explained, the apprentices smiling warmly at the memory.

"She was a kind woman indeed." Ienzo said as Aqua looked closer at the picture.

"That woman…I've seen her before…wait, I know where I've seen her before! Kairi has a picture of her in her room! She said she's…this is Kairi's grandmother!" Aqua exclaimed as she stood up.

"Do ya suppose that's where the Namine we know got her name?" Goofy asked as Axel smiled and gave a nod.

"Yeah…it is." Axel replied, sitting back down.

"Back in Castle Oblivion…" Axel pondered, thinking back…

…

**One Year Ago…**

Namine sat meekly in a chair in the corner of Castle Oblivion, her hands in her lap. She didn't react as a Corridor of Darkness opened up, allowing Axel to emerge with a small smirk on his face.

"Alright kid. Our guest is almost here. Soon you'll have work to do and you won't have time to mope about in that chair all day…well, I guess you will. Not really sure how that power of yours works. But you get the idea." Axel said as another Corridor opened, depositing Larxene behind him.

"Getting our puppet maker ready for her job, Axel? Or are you just shirking responsibility again?" Larxene asked tauntingly in her usual sadistic tone.

"Actually I was wondering something about her. How is it that Superior won't let her join the Organization? She's a Nobody like us. So why not make her part of the gang?" Axel asked as Larxene rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Do you really think that Superior would want a weak little thing like her in the Organization? Besides, with your little friend already on the team, we're full up. No extra room, especially for weaklings like her." Larxene said as Axel glanced at Namine who sat meekly minding her own business.

"Furthermore, Superior wouldn't even let her have a name. Supposedly the little witch named herself. She apparently said it was a name that belonged to someone important to her Other. Makes me want to throw up from all the sap." Larxene grumbled.

"Really? Well at least we've got a name to use to string our guest along with. Got it Memorized?" Axel asked as he and Larxene started to leave the room.

"Don't get any clever ideas, Axel. Your head's as empty as the place your heart's supposed to be." Larxene said as Axel stopped, watching her depart. He smirked, knowing all about her intentions to betray the Organization with Marluxia. He then glanced over his shoulder towards Namine for a moment.

…

**Back in the present…**

Axel was smiling as he finished recounting his memory.

"Then of course Sora shows up, Larxene and Marluxia get theirs, and it's a happy ending for everyone." Axel explained.

"So Namine chose her name from Kairi's grandmother. That's kinda sweet." Aqua said before looking back at the book.

"I think we've spent enough time on this now though. Let's keep going." She said, unpausing the chapter. Right away it switched to the throne room of Disneylahn. Yen Sid was carrying the baby Si'Lea around in the throne room, raising her up into the air and making goofy faces to her, causing her to laugh and squeal with glee. Ory was still asleep on the throne. Suddenly he sat up with a gasp, his hood falling back.

"Whoa! Ory, what's the matter? Bad dream? Or did we wake you up?" Yen Sid asked as Ory reached into his pocket, pulling out a small trinket with four beads on it, a red bead, a blue, a yellow, and an orange one. One of the beads was shimmering and sparkling brightly for a moment before fading out but retaining its color.

"It's safe." He said, breathing a sigh of relief before pocketing the trinket.

"What is that?" Yen Sid asked.

"I placed a spell on all the Dandelions I've found so far, one that will warn me if they're ever put in danger. One of them was placed in danger just now." Ory replied, concerned.

"Troubling. But you say the danger is passed?" Yen Sid asked as Ory plucked the red bead from the trinket.

"I think so yes, else the bead would've kept shining. This one glowed earlier but the enchantment in it has since gone out. But this is a good sign." Ory said as Yen Sid scratched the side of his head, ignoring that Si'Lea was tugging at his pointy beard.

"That's a good sign?" he asked.

"Yes. If the bead had turned black, that would've meant the Dandelion was dead. But if the enchantment goes out, that means their Keyblade powers have awoken." Ory said as he handed Yen Sid the bead. Yen Sid looked it over before seeing a small symbol on it that made him smile and laugh.

"Oh, I know who this is. This is Oswald's brother, right?" he asked as Ory nodded in surprise.

"Yes, actually. How'd you know?" Ory asked, causing Yen Sid to smile.

"Thank Lillian for that one, she protected him from one of the Displaced and apparently it brought out his Keyblade for the first time. Oswald's in Timeless River now, helping him pack and prepare to come here to begin training." Yen Sid said as Ory smiled briefly in relief.

"Good." He said, plucking the yellow bead from the trinket.

"I've been meaning to remove this one as well. This one is Si'Lea's bead. But as she's under my care now, she doesn't need it." He said as Yen Sid smiled at the infant in his arms.

"No~o you're not a troublemaker, are you?" he asked, causing her to giggle. Ory's smile faded as he looked at the remaining blue and orange beads.

"But that wasn't the one that concerns me. One of the other beads glowed but stopped. The enchantment hasn't gone out or the bead turned black so whatever danger it was in passed." Ory said as Yen Sid frowned a little.

"Hopefully it was a one off. In the meantime, you need to get your rest. We may need all your strength in the near future. We'll need you on the top of your game." Yen Sid said as Ory yawned, pulling the hood back over his head as he laid back down in the throne.

"I appreciate it, Master. Thank you." He yawned as Yen Sid smiled and watched him sleep. That smile faded to a worried frown. He looked at Si'Lea, the infant yawning as she started to snuggle against his warm chest. He gently put a hand on her back, stroking it.

"What kind of darkness is this? What kind of darkness have you brought, Millicent?" he asked quietly as the world faded to black, the chapter coming to a close.

* * *

**End Chapter 16**

I chose to use "Force Your Way" as the fight music against Ultimecia since it seemed appropriate given that it's from her game. I'm saving her more iconic boss fight music for later on.

And yes, the woman here was Kairi's grandmother. I felt like she needed a name for the story aside from "Kairi's Grandmother." I also wondered where the name Namine had come from for our favorite Nobody Witch. I figured it had to be a unique name. So...

I also hope I'm making it clear to distinguish Professor Co from Doctor Who.


	17. Daughter of the Sea

"_After leaving Timeless River, I sailed back into the stars, seeking out my sister or some clue that could lead me to what she sought. As I sailed upon the Lanes Between, I was drawn to a world that I had visited before in the past. A world known only to those capable of traveling among the stars." _Lillian's narration said. Lillian was riding through the stars on her dory, having only recently left Timeless River. As she sailed, she happened to spot a familiar sight, but could tell something was off. She could see the world, Mirage Arena, floating in space like normal, but there was a strange gold and purple colored fog swirling around it. She realized what had happened and turned the dory towards it.

"Displaced!" she hissed, sailing straight towards it before running to the front of her dory, summoning both Keyblade and pistol to her hand, pointing the pistol at the fog, but to her surprise the fog created a hole for her, allowing her to sail through unhindered.

"What?" she asked as she reached the Arena, suddenly being teleported inside the hub while her dory remained stationary just outside. Her armor vanished as she looked around. The hub itself was unchanged from the way it would look twenty, even thirty years later. But one thing Lillian could see was different was that the familiar gold and black sands of the Displaced were moving across the controls of the arena in the hub.

"What are they doing?" she asked, worriedly as she started to cautiously approach the controls. Before she could even make halfway, a Corridor of Darkness opened, the Traveler appearing with his hands behind his back. Lillian leapt back into her fighting stance.

"You! You were at my sister's mansion!" she exclaimed.

"Right you are. I thought it was time that you and I had a little chat about visions, specifically what prophecies you might have had." The Traveler said as Lillian's helmet vanished, the rest of her armor remaining in place.

"My visions are none of your business." She replied.

"Oh but they are my business. I know that Millicent sees an impending Darkness. You seem to foresee just the opposite. An impending Light. That is what interests me." He said as Lillian's eyes glowed briefly but caused a burning sensation in her eyes again after trying to look into his future, causing her to recoil in pain.

"Shouldn't have done that." He muttered half-sympathetically as politely allowed Lillian to recover.

"I'm not sharing anything about the future with one whose future I cannot see." Lillian argued.

"That's a bit disappointing. I'd love to know what your visions have shown you. I might even be able to bring clarity from them. But I suppose you're within your rights to keep your secrets, much like your dear sister has kept her secrets from you." The Traveler said as Lillian scowled at him.

"Leave my sister out of this! What have you done to her?!" Lillian asked. The Traveler cocked his head to one side curiously.

"You say that like I did anything more than to simply offer her my assistance. She saw a future she didn't like, asked me and Ultimecia to help her find the Tempest so as to prevent it, and we accepted. Being from the future she thought we might be useful in finding it but we really don't know where…or even what it is to be quite honest." The Traveler replied.

"Are you protesting your innocence?" she asked in confusion.

"Mmm…yeah, pretty much. Well, as far as your sister is concerned. I've been rather obedient to her wishes, with maybe one exception. But that's my little secret you see and I think you'll find out on your own soon enough either way. The one you should be concerned about is your sister. She's the one subtly embracing the Darkness on her own in her desperate bid to prevent the Darkness. It's cruelly ironic. We end up creating the things we dread." The Traveler said but Lillian scowled.

"You're lying! Why should I believe you? My sister is of the light! And if she is straying then I'll do all I can to try and bring her back to it!" Lillian said as the Traveler sighed and shook his head.

"Again with the accusation that I'm lying. If nothing else, I hope you and your friends take something away from these little chats of ours. These two little philosophies. Two very easy to remember lines that can change everything. The first, is 'Truth Hurts.' You don't want to accept it coming from me, but your sister is falling into Darkness on her own. And this ties into the second philosophy, one I've already mentioned." The Traveler said before raising and snapping his fingers. Lillian quickly dropped into a fighting stance as the arena hub around her darkened, turning pitch black but she could strangely still see herself. She looked around in confusion for a moment before she recoiled from the boom of thunder and a flash of lightning in front of her. She soon felt the loud hiss of rain pouring down from a dark and menacing sky, the floor beneath her shifting under her feet from the waves. She looked around and found herself on an old wooden galleon on an angry sea in the midst of a storm. The ship was rocking from side to side. Lillian recognized her surroundings as her home world. The Traveler was stood just near the wheel, the wheel turning itself as the ship seemed to aimlessly sail upon the stormy sea.

"That second philosophy…we tend to create what we dread." The Traveler said as Lillian looked around, confused and alarmed.

"What have you done? What is this?" she asked.

"Did you know that the Displaced can see through time just like you Foretellers? They looked into your past…and this is what they found." The Traveler explained, earning a scowl from Lillian.

"Let's see if I remember those notes about you correctly. You and your sister fled your world because of your powers as Foretellers. Branded as witches and heathens. But you were pursued for another reason as well…" The Traveler said before vanishing in a haze, reappearing just to her right and grabbing her wrist, forcing her sleeve up to reveal an old branding mark in the shape of a letter P just beneath her sleeve.

"…Pirate." The Traveler said as Lillian pulled herself free, pointing her Keyblade at him but he teleported back towards the helm.

"Oh you think you know a lot about me do ye?" Lillian asked, her upper-class accent reverting to a more common West Country-esque, pirate accent.

"And your true self emerges. No longer the posh and proper lady, now nothing more than a lowly scallywag and bilge rat." The Traveler remarked as Lillian sneered at him, rolling her eyes.

"Oh why does every man, 'ho's never even been to sea before, right away start using phrases that we pirates never use and sound just…idiotic." Lillian groaned as the Traveler gave a light shrug.

"Well forgive my ignorance. Do enlighten me, oh sea witch. You've hidden this little piece of yourself away for a long time haven't you?" The Traveler asked as Lillian seemed to puff with slight pride.

"Aye, but then I never really tried to hide it now di'n' I? Daughter of the Sea I am. Maybe exchange a coarse 'n' dead common accent for one with fancy words with lots o' syllables. But that be all. Aye, I was a pirate. Cabin girl for a motley crew with me sister. Plundered, pillaged, didn't give an 'oot! They were scared of us so they treated us right. We could see their future. We never told 'em the bad news. The end of our good luck. Our luck ran ou' when the cap'n ran afoul o' the devil his self." Lillian explained in her cockney accent. Just then there was another clap of thunder and a flash of lightning illuminated the outline of a menacing galleon just off to starboard. Lillian noticed it and staggered slightly in mild terror.

"A charming story of rags to riches. I'm surprised you're so anxious to cling to your old life as a sea rat…especially when it's nothing but a reminder of your forced servitude." The Traveler said, earning an insulted look from Lillian.

"Servitude?! Ye dare call this servitude?! Ye never lived upon the sea, smelled nor tasted the salt spray, the wind at your back! The life of a pirate is not servitude! It's freedom! There be an old song from my world that say the 'seas be ours, and by the powers, never will we die'!" Lillian said before quickly firing her flintlock at the Traveler, firing a Firaga at him that flew just inches past his head. (Battle Music Cue: He's a Pirate – KH2 Remix **OR **Skull and Crossbones – POTC: Curse of the Black Pearl Soundtrack)

"Then let's see what I can do to disprove that last part about you never dying." The Traveler said, only summoning his sword before leaping over the rail and down onto the deck with her. The two began to circle one another, Lillian dismissing her flintlock for better balance. The Traveler made the first move, their blades clashing on the deck as the ship rocked beneath them. Lillian's Keyblade and the Traveler's Sword flashed in the periodic lightning that appeared in the sky, the two making their way towards the bow, Lillian backing up towards a short flight of steps leading to the foredeck. Lillian was forced to pause as she and the Traveler locked blades.

"I wonder what it is you dread…" the Traveler pondered aloud before Lillian leapt back, dodging a swing and starting to back towards the foremast.

"…is it the unknown, perhaps? Given your power to see the future?" The Traveler asked before lunging at her, Lillian spinning away, attempting to fire a shot at him with her flintlock but the Traveler ducked down to dodge, ducking around the foremast to the other side of it.

"What about your impending nuptials? Any second thoughts there?" he asked but Lillian remained silent, scowling at him. He then stepped back, his sword raised defensively.

"I'm beginning to wonder about you? What is it you dread?" Lillian asked, taking a potshot of Blizzaga magic from her flintlock but the Traveler sliced through it and lunged towards her. Lillian instead leapt back towards the foremast, dodging his attack. She grabbed hold of a rope, cutting it with a swing of her Keyblade, the rope suddenly yanking her into the air, towards the mainmast, landing on it with her Keyblade and flintlock ready. She turned towards starboard just as the Traveler appeared on the mast just in front of her.

"Attempting to escape? Surely you know how this world wo~OAH!" the Traveler yelped, nearly losing his footing on the mast as she ship rocked beneath them. Lillian however easily kept her balance, a small smirk appearing on her face.

"Ya might've considered that bringin' me to a mirage of me home world would give me home field advantage! Especially on a ship at sea! To put bluntly mate, someone has as of yet to earn their sea-legs!" she said with a taunting tone as the Traveler growled a little and lunged at her but she easily parried, putting the off-balance Traveler on the defensive. Despite this, neither one of them moved at all to port or starboard, managing to remain in one place. Finally Lillian attempted to fire her flintlock at him but was forced to lower it and parry with her keyblade, firing a Blizzaga from the pistol. Lillian then backed away slightly, leapt up, and grabbed a loose rope, using it to swing around to the opposite end of the mainmast, spinning back towards the Traveler with her Keyblade pointed at him. The Traveler attempted to take a step forward but couldn't move his foot. He looked down and saw that Lillian's Blizzaga had flash frozen his foot to the mast. He looked up at her in surprise.

"You cheated." He commented, almost with a hint of amusement in his voice. Lillian smirked a little.

"Pirate." She replied as her Keyblade shined with light for a moment as an elaborately decorated galleon made of light appeared in the air behind her, its cannon ports opening. At the stern of the ship was its name plate: The Alexander. Lillian then raised her Keyblade and swung it forward towards the Traveler.

"FIRE ALL!" she shouted, the cannons on the Alexander opening fire all at once, firing large cannonballs of golden energy that seemed to veer towards the Traveler who stood defiantly in their path with his sword raised. Lillian watched as the cannonballs converged and exploded on impact, the galleon disappearing. However when the smoke and light from the explosion faded, there was nothing there. Sensing something was wrong, she spun around in time to see the Traveler standing mere feet from her. She spun around but he batted her Keyblade from her hand. She attempted to bring her flintlock up to defend herself but the Traveler caught her arm in a strange purple-black gauntlet of over his left hand, the gauntlet covered in glowing orange cracks. Lillian let out a cry of pain as the gauntlet burned her arm.

"Rather impressive. I give you high marks for creativity." He said as he pulled her close (End Battle Music).

"But not so much in form." He said before throwing her off the mast. Lillian quickly re-summoned her Keyblade on the way down, stabbing it into the sail as she descended, slowing her descent until she safely landed on the foredeck. She landed on her feet, looking at her arm, noting the burns.

"Now what was it that you dread again?" the Traveler asked as he appeared in a haze again nearby, Lillian turning defensively as he approached, his sword in hand.

"Maybe it's something simpler. Like the Darkness? No too obvious." He pondered aloud. Lillian looked at him confused, trying to ponder his angle. Suddenly there was another flash of lightning that illuminated the ghostly galleon off to starboard, just over his shoulder, only this time, it didn't vanish with the lightning.

"Ah…or maybe it's the simplest of all dreads." The Traveler said before stepping behind the foremast again, only instead of him reappearing, a tall and menacing looking monster of a man emerged. He wore a tricorn hat, a face and beard of squid-like tentacles, a right hand with a single long tentacle for an index finger, a left hand shaped like a crab's pincer claw, and a right peg-leg shaped like a crab's leg. His clothes were waterlogged and covered in barnacles. She recognized this visage from her youth, backing up in fear.

"Do you fear death-a? Do you fear that dark abyss?-…" the menacing figure of Davy Jones asked as he took a step towards her, Lillian backing away still. She knew this image of Jones was a mirage created by the arena's magic and the Displaced's meddling, but it with the arena under the Displaced's control, chances were that this mirage was potentially lethal. The Traveler appeared in a haze just to her left, him and Jones blocking her avenues of escape.

"…all your deeds laid bare? All your sins, punished?" Jones asked as Lillian froze with her back against the portside railing.

"So your fear is death. How…uninspiring." The Traveler said.

"It isn't death which Davy Jones his self represents, but a fate worse than." Lillian replied, returning to her more normal accent.

"Really? I had no idea. There's a lot about your world I don't understand. Probably a lot about it that you don't understand either, considering it was your Master who swooped in and rescued you and your sister after your ship got smashed by a monster sent after it by Jones here. So I wonder what knight in shining armor will swoop in and rescue you this time?" the Traveler asked. Lillian looked back and forth between him and Jones, no chance of escape. She closed her eyes with her Keyblade in hand, taking a calming breath and bracing for her final moments to begin when…

"_Need some help?"_ a voice asked, a voice she didn't recognize (Battle Music Cue: Union-χ – Kingdom Hearts 3 Unofficial Soundtrack, A/N: You'll literally have to look this one up on YouTube until they release the official soundtrack). She opened her eyes in time for a shaft of light to break through the clouds and strike the foredeck between her and her two opponents, forcing both the Traveler and Jones to shield themselves and step back, banishing the wind and rain in the process. The clouds were scattered, revealing a shining sun overhead.

"What is-?!" the Traveler asked as the light persisted. The shaft vanished but whatever had arrived continued to shine with a brilliant radiant light. Finally the light died down to a more tolerable level, revealing a figure clad from head to toe in a suit of radiant gold and platinum Keyblade Armor, with a long white cape with gold trimmings.

"Who are you?!" the Traveler asked, backing away slightly. Lillian looked at the Golden Warrior with awe, feeling her burned arm healing rapidly. The warrior then raised his hand and in a flash of light, summoned forth an ornate Keyblade of gold, platinum, and silver, with a tooth shaped like a heart with a golden crown on it (A/N: Kingdom Hearts 1 Ultima Weapon Keyblade). The mirage of Jones suddenly lunged forward but the Golden Warrior turned and drove its Keyblade through Jones's chest, causing him to instantly dissolve in a burst of golden sands. The Warrior then looked towards the Traveler.

"Wait…don't tell me that you're-…!" the Traveler stammered, a sound of alarm in his voice. The Golden Warrior launched towards him, the Traveler vanishing in a haze, reappearing near the wheel but the Golden Warrior appeared behind him in a flash of light, swinging the Keyblade at him, the Traveler quickly blocking with his own sword and leaping back towards the main deck.

"I think I just found out what you dread!" Lillian said from behind him. He spun around to see her standing atop the starboard side steps to the foredeck, smiling down at him.

"Whoever this warrior is, he's what you fear. I'm not sure why, and considering I cannot see your future, I can only speculate. That's the rule of the Mirage Arena though. Sometimes the greatest challenge you can face here is that which you fear most." She said, dropping back into her fighting stance. The Traveler looked back and forth between her and the Golden Warrior. He finally settled on her, turning and attempting to lunge at her but the Golden Warrior appeared in a burst of light in his path, Keyblade drawn back for an attack, swinging at him but he vanished in a haze, reappearing on the opposite side of the deck (End Battle Music).

"Then it seems we both created what we dread here today! Only it seems my dread is…" he said, staring at the Golden Warrior for a moment before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. Lillian looked at where the Traveler had vanished for a moment before turning back towards the Golden Warrior, only to see he was stood immediately in front of her, looking at her, still radiating with light.

"Who…are you?" she asked. The Golden Warrior remained silent before turning and walking away towards the port side of the ship.

"Don't I get to thank my rescuer, even if he is just a mirage?" Lillian asked. The Golden Warrior stopped, turned towards her and planted the tip of his Keyblade into the deck, resting his hands on the pommel. Without a word it looked to the sky as a radiant light appeared overhead, enveloping them both. When the light faded, Lillian found herself back in the hub of the Mirage Arena.

"I guess not." Lillian muttered softly, looking around and noticing that the arena controls were back to normal, the Displaced gone both inside and outside the Arena. Lillian scratched the back of her head, quietly wondering who the strange Golden Warrior was. After a moment she glanced outside to where her dory was moored in space. She put a hand on her armor piece, summoning her armor before departing the arena and setting sail for another world. The arena faded out, leaving the image of the older Lillian standing and watching her younger self sail away.

"_I never have learned the identity of that golden warrior. He is as much a mystery to me now as he was then." _Lillian said, turning to look at the people in the reading room.

"We've never seen him before either…have we?" Aqua asked, looking around but everyone shook their heads.

"His armor configuration was unlike any of ours or anyone's we've seen." Terra said.

"His Keyblade looks strange too." Goofy added.

"And powerful." Donald said.

"I wonder if he's even real." Ven pondered aloud.

"What do you mean, Ven?" Aqua asked.

"Well, they were in Mirage Arena. And remember what Master Eraqus told us about it years ago? The Arena's not all knowing. It relies on the hearts and memories of those within it at the time to create the worlds and the enemies its challengers face." Ven explained.

"And did you remember how the Traveler reacted? He didn't recognize him. No one recognized him." Mickey added.

"_So what are your thoughts, Mickey?" _Lillian asked. Mickey smiled and stood up.

"It's just like you told him. The Golden Warrior was what the Traveler feared. The Traveler knew what he was, but not who he was." Mickey explained.

"Oh I get it. Like facing the secret optional boss in a video game that has the name 'unknown' or three question marks and no other information except he's super powerful. You dunno who it is but you get an idea that he's a major figure in the next game." Axel explained, earning blank looks from everyone.

"What?" he asked, indignantly.

"I think I get what Axel means. The Traveler knows what he fears and the Golden Warrior was that thing. But he didn't know who the Golden Warrior is or what he even looks like. So the Arena had to…well, guess." Terra explained.

"Oh I get it. The Golden Warrior doesn't actually exist. Or at least, not like that. That was just the Arena's best guess of what the Golden Warrior looks like and what his power's like." Oswald said.

"_That is probably the most plausible theory out there. I've looked as hard as I can but I cannot find any references to a warrior like that. Nor have I seen any future with him in it. I believe the Golden Warrior, perhaps, is nothing more than a stand-in to represent something greater." _Lillian said as Jiminy hopped onto the arm of the chair with one of his journals in hand.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but I think Donald, Goofy, and myself have been to your world before." Jiminy said as Donald and Goofy looked at each other.

"We have?" Goofy asked.

"Did we?" Donald asked.

"We did. You remember. The place with Captain Sparrow?" Jiminy asked them as Donald and Goofy both blinked in realization.

"Oh yeah!" Goofy remarked.

"The world with the pirates!" Donald added. Lillian however crossed her arms over her chest with a smirk and an arched eyebrow.

"_It's called the Caribbean, loves." _Lillian said as Ven leaned back.

"I remember you used to tell great stories about pirates back when you used to visit us." Ven said with a smile. Aqua and Terra both exchanged fond smiles.

"And the ruckus we'd get into creating and acting out our own pirate adventures." Terra added as Lillian chuckled a little.

"_Most of those were made up I'm afraid, dears…well…embellished I should say. My pirating days were long behind me by the time this story even took place. Even now I've been pretty landlocked. Although the story of the Wizard who saved two girls from a shipwreck…that one was true…and also how Milly and I met Master Yen Sid." _Lillian replied, briefly losing herself in memory, before clearing her throat.

"_But enough about the past…well, enough about my childhood. There's a more important story to be told. Now then…who wants to see Xehanort get a righteous boot up the jaxy?" _Lillian asked with a smirk. Instantly every hand in the room shot up. Lillian chuckled a little.

"_I didn't even have to use my powers to predict that result." _She muttered as she faded away, the next chapter beginning…

* * *

**End Chapter 17**

This should be the last major reference to Lillian's past. It was mostly to explain her life before being taken in by Master Yen Sid.

The ship they were fighting on was no specific ship. Just a random pirate ship. An earlier draft of the chapter had a young Captain Jack Sparrow appearing as a mirage and an assist via the Arena but I decided against it.

And I'm not ruling out using Dead Man's Chest or At World's End or the other two Pirate films in future installments of the RKH Saga. The appearance by Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman was just to further Lillian's character development. In this case it was just a mirage of him formed from Lillian's own memories and fears.

Lillian's summoning the Galleon of Light, named Alexander is my own spin on the Final Fantasy Summon: Alexander. It's one of her shot locks. It's simply named: Alexander.

Finally, be very cautious if you look up the Union-χ track from Kingdom Hearts 3 as you could get spoilers if you're not careful. If you don't mind spoilers though, more power to you. Just remember not to share any spoilers in your reviews.


	18. Xehanort Gets Whooped

Xehanort appeared in Magician's Bayou in a flash of light. He knew exactly where he was heading as he walked with his hands behind his back towards a familiar mansion. He was just starting to step through the gates surrounding the mansion when he heard someone clearing their throat nearby. He looked and saw Professor Shantotto with her arms crossed over her chest, looking expectantly up at him.

"And what do you think you are doing here? Last I saw you, you'd sworn to not come back for a year!" she said as Xehanort gave a wry smile.

"Professor Shantotto, I was hoping I could get some information from you regarding-." Xehanort said but Shantotto interrupted him, smacking him in his left kneecap with the round top of her staff as she passed. Xehanort quickly dropped to one knee, cradling his left knee, biting his lip.

"I don't want to hear a word from your now quivering lips. After your arrogant display last time, I think I've earned a few quips. So are you here to further your own cause, or perhaps come clean with an admission of your flaws?" Shantotto asked with her back turned to the Keyblade Master. Xehanort scowled at her.

"Now isn't the time, Professor. The worlds are in danger right now. I need information about the-." Xehanort said but was silenced by the Professor shoving her staff in his face.

"The Displaced are the threat or am I mistaken? Eraqus already told me, so that knowledge is already taken. As I told him there is not much to share. These are a mysterious foe, so by all means beware. They seek the Tempest while under Millicent's thrall. Not very surprising given how far she's willing to fall." Shantotto said as Xehanort looked at her surprised.

"Eraqus has already been here? Why didn't he share that information with the rest of us? He knows how to use a Dimension Link." Xehanort said as Shantotto lowered her staff.

"Ah, now that is new information. While the Displaced are here, communications are cut for the duration. Dimension links rely on both Time and Space. Disrupt one and any connections it will erase." Shantotto explained.

"Ah, so D-Links are down so long as the Displaced are around?" Xehanort asked as Shantotto sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, Total Loser, you really should pay attention. You may be a Keyblade Master now, but hardly worth mention." Shantotto said as Xehanort rose to his feet.

"I see then. I suppose if Eraqus was here and got all the information he could, there's not much point in asking you. You'd give him such knowledge without a fight, considering you tended to favor him for some reason." Xehanort said as Shantotto stared at him. She gave a slight upward flick of the wrist, causing a small pillar of earth to erupt beneath her feet, carrying her upwards just enough to be brought to eye-level with him.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho! Is this jealousy my ears do receive? As memory serves, you are the one who attempted to deceive. An anxious learner Eraqus was indeed, that's why I favored him over you, as you favored speed. Always looking for the quickest answers to your query. It was enough to make me quite weary. I haven't the time for plebeians with no interests beyond their field. Not all knowledge is good, one needs to know when to yield." Shantotto argued. Xehanort sighed heavily.

"Once again I'm being derided for my desire to research the Keyblade War. Why is knowing about the war such a red area to some people? What better way to avoid another one than by knowing what caused it?" Xehanort asked.

"A fair question I suppose, one that won't make you bored. Hmm I was asked that just recently by she with the golden horde." Shantotto said as Xehanort's eyes widened in surprise.

"Golden Horde? Millicent! She was here asking about the Keyblade War? Why?" Xehanort asked as Shantotto tapped her chin.

"It was some days ago she asked about this subject. Answered what I would while some answers I did object." Shantotto said as Xehanort stepped towards her.

"What were her questions, and what answers did you give her?" Xehanort asked but Shantotto turned and hopped off the earthen pillar that shrank back down into the ground.

"I'm already weary of this inquiry. I recommend you find Millicent yourself. That conversation should be fiery." Shantotto chuckled to herself as she headed for the door to her mansion. The door suddenly slammed in her face before a beam of light struck its lock. Shantotto knew immediately what had happened and turned to see Xehanort with his Keyblade in hand.

"No, Professor, I'm not playing your games anymore. I want to know what you and Millicent talked about, now." Xehanort said as Shantotto crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! My, don't you have a pride swollen chest! Are you challenging me to a duel, a blood fest? I'll agree to answer your questions provided you can defeat me. But if not there will be a great penalty for thee!" Shantotto said as Xehanort scowled.

"I've already been denied Millicent's knowledge twice today. I'm getting very tired of the people with the answers refusing to share them. Millicent I expected it from, but not from one such as you who values knowledge." Xehanort said but Shantotto stepped back towards him.

"Knowledge is indeed a valuable resource. But it's what that knowledge can cause that determines the course. But this isn't a matter of trust between me and you. By your actions just now, you have challenged me…and annoyed me a bit too. So for this knowledge, this duel you will have to win. But if I win, the only hair you'll have left will be on your chin." Shantotto said as Xehanort gave a nod and put a hand to his belt, summoning his Guardian Armor behind him. (Battle Music Cue: Battle in the Dungeon #2 – Final Fantasy XI)

"Very well, Professor. I accept your challenge." Xehanort said, resting his Keyblade at his side while putting his other hand behind his back. Shantotto belted out one of her haughty laughs.

"It's been far too long since the last war I've won, but I'll tell you right now. This will be fun." She said before snapping her fingers, the entire world around them fading to black. Xehanort looked at the ground and found that he and Shantotto were now stood on a platform made of stained glass, very reminiscent to the Station of Awakening, only this time the image on the window was of Shantotto making a mocking gesture. Xehanort knew they were in a sort of illusion conjured by Shantotto so as not to bring anyone into harm's way by their duel. He stood ready to fight.

"I'll say it straight, you will not enjoy your fate. Are you ready to fight or are you looking for your groove? I'll allow you to make the first move." Shantotto said as Xehanort smiled.

"I already did." He said. Shantotto looked and saw the sphere of blue bolts surrounding her. She belted out a haughty laugh as the bolts started firing at her, seemingly running her through but she continued laughing, undaunted. Xehanort knew something was off and his suspicions were confirmed when finally Shantotto seemed to explode in a small puff of smoke, a small plush doll shaped like her falling to the ground where she'd stood. He blinked in alarm, knowing she'd played him.

"If that was your first volley, then this was most certainly your folly." He heard her say behind her. He spun around to see Shantotto standing on the right shoulder of his Guardian Armor. The armor quickly slapped at its shoulder but Shantotto nimbly slipped over to its left shoulder, jamming her staff through the armor's neck, and then leaping off. Xehanort swung at her with his Keyblade but she nimbly dodged his swing. She then leapt clear across to the other side of the platform with a wide smile.

"I wonder if we're going to have enough room. I fear we've no cover to escape your armor going kaboom!" Shantotto said. Xehanort's eyes widened and he turned to see his Guardian Armor had an orange light shining from within it. He looked and saw her staff still jammed in its neck. He quickly threw up a guard wall just in time for the armor to explode, parts of it smashing against the guard wall. The armor quickly returned to his belts, leaving him without one of his means of fighting. Xehanort scowled at Shantotto but noticed she was without her staff and spun towards her, Keyblade pointed at her.

"Oh a shot lock is your plan? I wondered if you'd pick that scam." She said before suddenly multiplying into multiple copies of herself, all in differing outfits, and all laughing haughtily at him. Xehanort's eyes twitched at the multitude of mocking magi but knew this was but a diversion. He looked and saw something move near the discarded staff on the floor.

"Guard!" he commanded, conjuring a guard wall between the movement he'd seen and the staff, smirking at what he'd hoped had been a victory but to his surprise, the staff suddenly came flying towards him. He quickly dodged, the staff starting to dart back and forth at him, the Keyblade Master having to quickly dodge the staff for several seconds before flying right back into the crowd of Shantotto duplicates, a single hand reaching up and grabbing it out of the air. The duplicates all suddenly parted, revealing the real Shantotto dressed in black and purple robes. Xehanort smirked at this.

"Guess I got the Black Mage to reveal herself, didn't I? A little disappointed that you didn't put on the pointy hat." Xehanort said but Shantotto laughed again.

"The hat is not needed. It's as relevant as a yard freshly seeded. But you've still much to learn I see, since you've still as of yet to land a hit on me." Shantotto said as her mocking duplicates started to march and parade around the platform.

"I'm just getting warmed up." Xehanort said with a smirk. Shantotto merely laughed again.

"Actually this has been quite fun. But now you're getting boring so I'm quite done." Shantotto said before Xehanort cast a Thundaga spell at her but the lightning bolt caused her to revert to another plush doll, much to his horror.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! And now for your final test! Pop quiz! Which of us is truly best?!" Shantotto asked behind him, back in her usual garb. He turned and saw that all the duplicates had stopped laughing and now held magic staffs just like hers, all pointed at him. Xehanort swallowed nervously and quickly hit his armor piece, summoning his armor just in time. From the swampy woods just beyond the town, one could see a massive pillar of light erupt from within the town, a massive shockwave rippling across through the air (End Battle Music). Back at the mansion, as the light faded, Shantotto was stood with her back turned to Xehanort. Xehanort was stood in his armor, smoke rising from his armor. After a moment he dropped to his knees and onto his face, his armor vanishing.

"How?" he wheezed, attempting to push himself onto his feet but failing and collapsing back onto the ground, pain wracking his body. Shantotto merely sighed and turned towards him.

"Total loser, if you cannot fathom my skills, study hard, study often, otherwise be prepared to pay major bills. Arrogance always leads to a raking over the coal. And if not careful, a relentless pursuit of knowledge can take its toll. Remember this well, my young student. The phrase 'what one hides, another finds,' will prove quite prudent." She said, casting a Cure spell on him, partially healing him enough to give him the strength to rise to his feet.

"It seems then I won't be getting my answers from you." He grumbled, dusting himself off.

"Your skill is not idly dismissed. I sure enjoyed this little tryst. Ah but now's the time to collect my wager's due. Knowledge for your victory, or else a crown of hair from you." Shantotto said before holding out her hand and in a flash of light, Xehanort saw what, at first, looked to be a white wig designed to look like his own head of hair but a sudden and strangely cool breeze made him realize otherwise. He quickly put a hand on his head to discover that every hair on his head had vanished.

"What?! Wait I thought that was just an idle joke! You took my hair?!" the now bald Xehanort asked in anger but Shantotto pointed her finger at him warningly.

"This was the payment for your hubris and pride. You lost fair and square, so you've no right to be snide. This curse is permanent until I deem your time served. Let it be a reminder that nothing is entitled to you or deserved." Shantotto said as Xehanort sighed heavily and rubbed his chin. When he did though, he heard the scratching sound of his gloved hand rubbing against stubble.

"Wait…" he said as Shantotto teleported away the "scalp" she'd taken from him.

"Like I said when you attempted to prove yourself best. The only hair you'd be able to grow afterwards would be from your chin. You know the rest." She replied as he sighed.

"Great." He muttered, stepping over towards her window and scowling slightly at his bald reflection.

"So now that you've had some humiliation, I wonder, what is your next destination?" Shantotto asked as Xehanort shrugged.

"Not sure. I need to find out what Millicent knows about the Tempest. I want to find it before she does and, perhaps, use it to find my own answers." Xehanort replied, looking himself over in the window. He was quietly beginning to like the bald look.

"I would assume all such knowledge would be in her home. But knowing her, she'd probably keep it handy and wrote important things down in her tome." Shantotto said, causing Xehanort to pause.

"Her tome? A Master's Tome?" he asked, turning towards Shantotto who gave a slight shrug.

"Twas only a few days ago she came to town. She asked me questions, and my answers, into a book, she wrote down." Shantotto said as Xehanort looked away in thought for a moment before a smile curled onto his lips and he rested his hands behind his back.

"Thank you Professor. Aside from losing my hair, this has proven to be a most enlightening conversation." Xehanort said as he started to leave. Shantotto arched a confused eyebrow.

"Hmm? Did I say something productive and of some use? Yet he leaves peacefully after all my abuse. I guess it was nothing since all is said and done. I wonder if one day he'll come back to play again, because I sure had fun." Shantotto said before turning towards her still locked door which, with a flick of her wrist, exploded into splinters and was replaced with an all new identical door that she easily pushed open and slammed behind her. Xehanort in the meantime had a smile on his face as he walked down the street, his hands behind his back.

"A Master's Tome is it, Millicent? I should've guessed that you wouldn't hide your secrets so easily without some recourse." Xehanort mumbled to himself as he pulled his hood up over his head. He quietly summoned his armor and Keyblade Glider before taking to the stars once again. Even as the world faded to black as the chapter came to an end, the raucous laughter erupting within the reading room could be heard.

"I always thought Xehanort got bald due to his age! You mean he lost it because Professor Shantotto beat him in a duel?!"Aqua asked, giggling still.

"Yeah, but the old fool quickly grew to like the look." Terra replied, smirking.

"I wonder if Professor Shantotto still has her trophy scalp? Would almost be worth asking her just to see that little prize." Ven said.

"Of course I still have my prize. Fits perfectly on my trophy shelf, just the right size." Shantotto said, sitting off to the side, sipping some tea. Everyone snapped their heads around to see the Tarutaru Black Mage had seemed to appear from out of nowhere.

"Professor!" Terra yelped, leaping behind the couch.

"When did you get here?!" Ven asked, him and Aqua practically stood atop the couch in alarm.

"I noticed this castle's return to the Realm of Light. Decided to investigate to make sure there was nothing that would nip or bite. But to find you all reading from this tome was much to my delight. Thought I'd join in on this trip down memory lane and enjoy the sight." Shantotto replied, sipping her tea.

"I'm surprised Xehanort didn't try and get revenge for taking away his hair." Ven said but Shantotto merely laughed.

"That total loser had a one track mind. Revenge was always a backseat to looking for what he could find." Shantotto replied as Terra gave a nod.

"She's right. Even when he was in my body, Xehanort didn't care about revenge unless it was a pleasant bonus towards furthering his own goals." Terra said, Ansem giving a nod.

"Xehanort was dedicated to his research and furthering his own plans." Ansem added.

"Plus, I think he quietly liked his bald look." Terra muttered.

"Do we need to start over and let you catch up, Professor?" Aqua asked but Shantotto laughed.

"Oh how quickly you forget or simply don't care. You seem to have forgotten that I was there. I don't need to be given a recap. I can remember it all in a snap." Shantotto replied.

"Good, then we can move on right away." Ven said as Aqua looked the room over, everyone giving their silent approval to continue. Aqua then raised her hand towards the tome and began the next chapter, the room darkening. There was no narration from Lillian this time as it showed Xehanort traveling through the starts on his glider again. As he did though, he saw what looked to be a shooting star just ahead of him. He recognized it instantly.

"Eraqus! Wait!" he called, the star coming to a stop, the young Keyblade Apprentice turning to see Xehanort floating up to him.

"Xehanort! I'm glad I've found you. We've got to talk real quick." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave a slight nod.

"Agreed. But the void is no place to have a conversation." He said as Eraqus looked around.

"Where can we go then? Somewhere that the enemy won't overhear us?" Eraqus said. Xehanort looked and saw a star twinkling in the sky nearby and knew what it was.

"I know a place. Come with me and stay close." Xehanort said, leading him towards the star.

Moments later, Eraqus was looking around in awe of the world around him. It had a bright blue sky, sun kissed beaches, palm trees waving in the gentle breeze.

"Whoa, what is this place?" Eraqus asked as he and a hooded Xehanort both stood upon a small islet with a sideways bent palm tree.

"Welcome to my home world, Eraqus. Welcome to the Destiny Islands." Xehanort said, sitting down on the sideways tree. Eraqus blinked in awe.

"You came from here? How could you ever leave?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort sighed.

"The beach gets old over time. This world is too small. I knew there had to be more out there beyond these shores. So, I made myself a raft, sailed away in search of answers. The rest is history." Xehanort explained.

"How often do you come back here?" Eraqus asked but Xehanort shook his head.

"This is the first time in…must be ten years or so that I've been home. I left no one behind. Nothing to bring me back." Xehanort said as Eraqus looked at him skeptically.

"You're back now." He said but Xehanort glanced his way.

"Only because it's convenient, out of the way. It's so unimportant that I doubt anyone would think to look here for us. I could hide away here for thirty years and no one would ever find me or think to look for me here…except you of course, now that you know." Xehanort said as Eraqus laughed and sat down on the tree next to him.

"Alright, fair enough. I found Master Ory, brought him up to speed. He's in Disneylahn now." Eraqus said as Xehanort looked at him with an impressed smile.

"Did you? That's good to hear. I assume Master Yen Sid is bringing him up to speed?" Xehanort asked.

"That and letting him catch up on his sleep. He's got an apprentice now. Cute little baby girl. A dandelion." Eraqus explained.

"A Dandelion? Ah. Good news. Did he have anything to say regarding Millicent's betrayal?" Xehanort asked.

"No but he does apparently know a lot about the Tempest and the Displaced." Eraqus said as Xehanort snapped his head around towards him.

"Does he? Interesting. What does he know?" Xehanort asked as Eraqus reached into his pocket and produced the card with the Memory Sticker on it.

"Here, this should have everything you need to know on it." Eraqus said as he handed Xehanort the card. Xehanort put a hand on the sticker, the sticker glowing briefly.

"Fascinating. This could be useful." Xehanort said as Eraqus nodded.

"I still need to show it to Lillian though. I've used it already, but that knowledge is kinda useless to me since we need a Foreteller to find it." Eraqus said as Xehanort looked at the card.

"I'm a bit reluctant to share this with her, though. Given what I know about Foretellers, it would probably be for the best that she know as little as possible about it." Xehanort said as he rose to his feet, pocketing the card.

"Why's that?" Eraqus asked, confused by Xehanort's statement.

"You know that I've been researching the Keyblade War, correct? My goal is to find out the cause of the war, and in my research, I made a discovery that…well I'd prefer to think better of Lillian and simply keep this temptation away from her to be safe." Xehanort said as Eraqus stood up, feeling defensive of his fiancée.

"What are you talking about?" Eraqus asked.

"What do you know about the Keyblade War, Eraqus? How did it start?" Xehanort asked as he stood looking over the sea, his hands behind his back.

"Well, I know that it started because everyone started fighting over the Light, and in doing so, allowed Darkness to fester within their hearts." Eraqus explained but Xehanort sighed and shook his head.

"My friend, that is only a fragment of the truth." He said, turning to look at Eraqus from over his left shoulder.

"I'll put it bluntly…if it weren't for the Foretellers, there likely wouldn't have been a Keyblade War in the first place."

* * *

**End Chapter 18**

Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy writing lines for Shantotto? She's fun to write for.


	19. The Dark Truth

(Ambiance Cue: Organization XIII – KH2, original or remix)

"They what?" Eraqus asked, stunned at what Xehanort had just told him as they stood on the islet of the Destiny Islands.

"Foretellers started the Keyblade War. Their prophecies were what started it." Xehanort said, his hood still over his bald head.

"You're going to have to elaborate a little more on that, X. I have a hard time believing that." Eraqus said as Xehanort nodded understandingly.

"I know. I myself have been reluctant to share it with you, given how close you are to Lillian. I don't want to tell her either. It'd break her heart. I don't want to do this but these recent events are forcing my hand." Xehanort replied.

"That still doesn't explain your claim. I'm willing to believe you but you don't honestly think that Lillian and Millicent are-…" Eraqus said but Xehanort shook his head.

"Millicent, yes. Lillian, no. But both have the potential to try and use their visions to try and justify actions such as this. They both could try to prevent a future that wouldn't be in their favor, and in the process, doom us all." Xehanort said as Eraqus sighed, sitting back down on the sideways tree.

"You're going to have to elaborate." Eraqus said as Xehanort nodded again.

"Of course. Well, you know the basics of the Keyblade War. Everyone fought over the Light, allowing Darkness to fester within their Hearts. But, after several years of painstaking research, I've found enough evidence to piece together a more concrete chain of events. My research is not complete and missing a few details, but it is still enough for an accurate reconstruction." Xehanort said as he raised his hand, conjuring five small spheres of light, each one a different color. One was a cobalt blue, another was pink and yellow, another was red, another was black and yellow, and the fifth was a purplish blue.

"Long ago, there were five factions of Keyblade Wielders, referred to as Unions. Each Union was led by a single Foreteller. The Unions competed against each other to collect the Light. It was, at first, a spirit of friendly competition. But then, the Foretellers each had a vision, a prophesied end of the world following a Keyblade War. One by one, they and their unions began competing more and more for the Light, turning on one another to try and gather enough Light to fight off the coming Darkness…but in doing so, they fulfilled the Prophecy themselves. The Unions turned on one another, and the Keyblade War began. The Foretellers themselves vanished, leaving the worlds scattered and broken as they are now. As for their Unions, all that remained of them was a barren wasteland of discarded Keyblades, whose owners had died in that war." Xehanort said as the five lights faded away in his hand. Eraqus seemed stunned and dismayed at this news.

"That's…that's horrible. I never knew-…why did the Masters hide this from us?" Eraqus asked but Xehanort shook his head.

"They didn't. This information is all readily available in the same history books in Master Yen Sid's library. A classic case of 'you never asked.' Nothing secret about it. Nothing intentionally kept from you save for some of the finer details. There are some omissions, those finer details I mentioned, and those omissions form the backbone of my own research. The Keyblade War may not have occurred had the Foretellers not had their visions and directed their Unions into competing over the light. Now Millicent is embracing a Dark path in trying to prevent the future she beheld from occurring. Another self-fulfilling prophecy." Xehanort said as Eraqus glanced away.

"But Millicent's the only Keyblade Wielder opposing us, so it's not like there's another Keyblade War when its you, me, Lillian, Master Yen Sid, Master Ory, and Oswald against one Keyblade Wielder." Eraqus said but Xehanort remained silent. The silence caused Eraqus to frown nervously.

"Oh please don't tell me…" Eraqus said Xehanort turned towards him.

"There is one Keyblade Wielder who as of yet to reveal himself…at least not directly. You've encountered Millicent's cohort, the Traveler?" Xehanort asked as Eraqus stood up.

"Only once, but then he never summoned a Keyblade against me." Eraqus said.

"Nor has he summoned one against me, but he has shown a familiarity with something else, something similar. Have you ever heard of a Junction Blade?" Xehanort asked but Eraqus shook his head.

"No, why?" he asked.

"They're swords made of pure darkness. They're similar to Keyblades in that they allow powers and abilities unique to the Keyblades to be used through them, but they lack the unlocking abilities of the Keyblade. They're similar to the black coat worn by the Traveler. The coats protect the user from the Darkness of the Void but they lack the armor component of Keyblade Armor. But Junction Blades can only be used by those who also possess Keyblades. They're best thought of as weapons of war, while the Keyblade is best thought of as more of a tool." Xehanort explained as Eraqus swallowed nervously.

"So, the Traveler is a Keyblade Wielder from the future?" Eraqus asked, Xehanort nodding grimly.

"He is. He hasn't summoned his Keyblade yet though. Perhaps it is one we would recognize if he summoned it, which is why he prefers the Junction Blade." Xehanort replied.

"This is getting serious. Just when I thought that Ultimecia woman was dangerous enough." Eraqus said as Xehanort arched an eyebrow.

"What's her problem?" he asked.

"She can possess people, like an evil spirit of some kind. I just had to exorcise her from a woman in Radiant Garden. I also think she and the Traveler are here to kill Dandelions." Eraqus said as Xehanort stepped towards him with a grim expression.

"That's a serious charge. What do you mean?" he asked. Eraqus took a deep breath to calm himself a little.

"I followed the Traveler through a Corridor of Darkness to the Land of Departure, Master Ory's world. He said he was there to kill someone but my being there alone thwarted it and he fled. Later, while I was in Radiant Garden, I saw Ultimecia, possessing the body of an innocent woman, attempt to murder another woman. She might've succeeded had I not intervened." Eraqus said as Xehanort turned away in thought.

"I'll wager that Millicent doesn't know anything about this plotting going on behind her back." Xehanort muttered.

"Do you think she's being deceived?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort gave a light shrug.

"Possibly. I believe she's so blinded by her zeal to prevent what she perceives to be an approaching Darkness that she's willing to consort with those who would bring Darkness to prevent it. I can relate, I suppose. I myself have been considering pursuing the Tempest for the sake of my own research, but I'll save that as a last resort. There are far safer ways of finding answers." Xehanort said as Eraqus looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean? You mean you'd be willing to seek the Tempest for your own gains?" Eraqus asked, suspicious of his friend.

"Only if it's the only option available to me, and there is at least one option available to me besides that. That is why I mean to assist you and Lillian in finding and stopping Millicent. She carries something I want more than the Tempest." Xehanort explained as Eraqus sat back down on the sideways tree.

"This whole thing doesn't make sense. Master Millicent turning on us to prevent an approaching Darkness, only to side with Darkness to try and prevent it. Doesn't she realize what she's doing is a self-fulfilling prophecy?" Eraqus said as Xehanort nodded in agreement.

"Targeting the Dandelions to prevent a threat to the future Darkness. Pursuing the Tempest to find any potential threats and eliminate them, or perhaps even alter the timeline to put Darkness in control. This doesn't bode well for the worlds at all." Xehanort said as Eraqus stood up again with a sigh, stepping closer to the edge of the islet.

"And yet you've completed your research and still not satisfied." Eraqus said, confusing Xehanort.

"What do you mean? Where did that come from even?" he asked.

"You told me that your research was the cause of the Keyblade War. You just said that the five Foretellers were the cause. So what more is there to-…" Eraqus said as Xehanort pulled back his hood, allowing his bald head to show. Eraqus blinked in surprise for a moment before putting both hands to his mouth and snorting with laughter.

"W-What the-?!" he asked, shaking with suppressed laughter as Xehanort laughed and shrugged.

"I picked a fight with Professor Shantotto. I lost. Losing my hair was the penalty. But beyond that, my research isn't finished. The Foretellers were the cause, but not the catalyst. My research indicates that they had a purpose for collecting all that Light, not just to safeguard it. They wanted to use it for something. I want to know what that was." Xehanort said as Eraqus gave a weary smile towards him, trying to suppress his laughter at his friend's bald head.

"And you think you can find the answers?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort gave a nod.

"It's not a matter of can or can't. It's something I must do." Xehanort said as he turned towards the wooden bridge leading to the larger section of the islet. He then sighed with a scowl.

"I despise this world." He muttered.

"Why? It's your home. Doesn't it hold anything special to you?" Eraqus asked.

"This world did nothing untoward to me. It just reminds me why I left it is all. Reminds me of how far I've come since leaving this place." Xehanort muttered (Music Cue: Jack's Lament – The Nightmare Before Christmas). Eraqus watched as Xehanort started to cross the wooden bridge.

"_There are few who'd deny, at what I do I am the best,  
for my talents are renowned far and wide.  
When it comes to secrets in the moonlit night,  
I uncover without ever even trying."_

Xehanort sang as he crossed the bridge, summoning his Keyblade and looking at it as he crossed the bridge.

"_With the slightest little effort, with my Keyblade's Charms,  
I have seen strong men among the weak.  
With the wave of my hand, and a well-placed spell,  
I have swept the very strongest off their feet."_

Xehanort sang as Eraqus followed him. Xehanort sighed and dismissed his Keyblade, glaring at the islet around them in frustration.

_"Yet year after year, it was the same routine,  
and I grew so weary of that repeating dream.  
And I, X! That's Xeh-a-nort,  
had grown so tired of the same old thing."_

He then turned towards the ocean, looking out over it with a hand on his chest as he sang…

_"Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones,  
an emptiness began to grow.  
There's something out here, far from my home,  
a secret that I've never known."_

Xehanort then turned towards Eraqus with a proud grin…

_"I'm a Master of Light, and I know what is right,  
and I'll stop you just by your own stance.  
Don't kid yourself, Bucky! I'm mister unlucky!  
But I'm known to give everyone a chance."_

Xehanort then summoned his Keyblade again, holding it in a stance as if preparing a shot lock…

_"And just as I've said, I can recall A through Zed,  
and recite powerful incantations!  
No animal nor man can scream like I can,  
with the fury of my recitations!"_

He then frowned and looked at the ground with frustration…

_"But who here could ever understand,  
that this young man with a skeleton key,  
would tire of his home, if they only understood.  
He gave it all up and he knew he could."_

Xehanort sang before looking back at the ocean again…

_"Oh, there's an empty place in my heart,  
that calls out for something to start.  
The search I've made oh year after year,  
does nothing for these empty tears."_

Xehanort sang, dismissing his Keyblade again with a sigh. Eraqus stepped up towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I get it. You've always been a persistent guy. This world held nothing for you, so you left." Eraqus said as Xehanort shrugged.

"Pretty much." He muttered.

"If you want help with your research, once my Exam is complete and I'm a Keyblade Master, I can help you out." Eraqus said but Xehanort smiled, clapping Eraqus on the shoulder and shaking his head.

"No, I couldn't ask that of you my friend. I feel that your destiny lies with that sweetie of yours. I appreciate your willingness, and should fate have other ideas I will accept it. But I won't force you to follow me. I appreciate the friendship." Xehanort said as Eraqus nodded.

"Yeah well I'd need a hobby." Eraqus said as Xehanort laughed.

"No promises. But I think it's time we ended this conversation. You still need to find Lillian, bring her up to speed. Oh, and don't tell her about the Foreteller predecessors. Not now. Not unless you think it might be helpful in convincing her to abandon her sister." Xehanort said but Eraqus seemed hesitant.

"I doubt that's going to be easy. I still hope that, at the very least, Millicent can be saved or convinced to stop her search." Eraqus said but Xehanort turned towards him with a serious expression.

"And if she can't…are you prepared to do what may be necessary to stop her?" Xehanort asked. Eraqus seemed reluctant to answer.

"I am." He replied after a moment's silence. Xehanort was not convinced.

"I'm afraid your answer is not reassuring. For your sake then, I hope it doesn't come to that." Xehanort said, summoning his Keyblade and tossing it into the air. As he waited for it to come down, Xehanort looked around at the islet and sighed to himself.

"This world is too small." He muttered, summoning his armor as his glider descended. Eraqus similarly summoned his own armor. Their helmets vanished soon after their armor summoned.

"But part of one that's much bigger." Eraqus said as Xehanort glanced towards him.

"Always the optimist." Xehanort said as Eraqus shrugged, summoning his own glider.

"I can still beat you at chess though." Eraqus said. Xehanort laughed.

"I do love a challenge." He replied.

"So where do you plan to look first?" Eraqus asked. Xehanort gave him a clever smile.

"That'll be my secret for now. If all goes according to plan, we'll be able to not only stop Millicent, but also seal the Tempest away so no one can access it." Xehanort said as Eraqus shrugged.

"Care to clue me in?" Eraqus asked but Xehanort shook his head.

"Probably best that you remain a bit ignorant right now. If what you say about this Ultimecia woman is true and she can possess people, then not knowing may give you an advantage." Xehanort said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Alright, but for someone who likes to uncover secrets, you sure do seem to keep a lot of them." Eraqus said as Xehanort nodded.

"Most of my secrets are simply withholding knowledge that you, as an Apprentice, aren't really qualified to know. Once you are a Master, there won't be any reason for me to withhold this knowledge from you." Xehanort said. Eraqus's helmet appeared on his head.

"Alright, that seems fair. I do worry though." Eraqus said, earning a curious look from Xehanort.

"About what?" he asked.

"When we're both equals…will we still be friends?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort smiled.

"Why would that change?" he asked.

"Millicent." Eraqus replied.

"Who knows then. Perhaps we will remain friends, perhaps not. Only time will tell." Xehanort replied as Eraqus gave a nod before looking towards the sky and taking off. Xehanort watched him depart as his helmet appeared over his head.

"Perhaps…" Xehanort said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the card with Ory's Memory Sticker on it. He looked at it for a moment before pocketing it.

"…perhaps not." Xehanort muttered before taking to the stars himself. The world started to fade to black as the chapter came to a close.

"The Foretellers started the Keyblade War?" Ven asked, dismayed by Xehanort's report.

"It can't be true, can it Aqua? Xehanort's lying right?" Axel asked but Aqua grimaced slightly.

"It's true. Xehanort isn't lying. I've read the same books that Xehanort did. They all point to the Foretellers, be it intentionally or accidently, as the instigators of the Keyblade War. Xehanort is correct about that. But what should be stressed is, they had good intentions with their actions. They wanted to protect the Light and avoid the Keyblade War and the coming Darkness." Aqua explained. Ansem then cleared his throat.

"The road to Darkness is often paved with good intentions." Ansem said, Terra nodding.

"We tend to create what we dread." Terra muttered, echoing the Traveler's words to Lillian.

"And Lillian, from our own experiences, was never mean or evil. She always seemed to have nice things to say to us. Encouraging things." Aqua said as Ven and Terra both nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure Xehanort knew that too. I think he just saw history repeating itself with Millicent." Terra replied. Axel then cleared his throat.

"I think we're also overlooking something even more concerning here guys." Axel, earning everyone's attention.

"What is it Axel?" Ven asked.

"Try the world Xehanort just claimed was his home world. The world that a certain three good buddies of ours all call home?" Axel asked with a tone of increasing alarm.

"Yeah I noticed that too. Xehanort's from the Destiny Islands? I wonder if anyone there remembers him." Aqua said, worriedly.

"It's possible. Only one way to find out." Terra said as Axel groaned.

"Finish the story?" he asked but Terra shook his head.

"No, I mean go ask them directly." Terra replied.

"Oh, I thought we had some kind of running gag or something going here." Axel said, sheepishly.

"I'd actually suggest we hold off on asking Sora or Riku about this. It's too much of a small detail to warrant contacting them." Aqua said as Mickey gave a nod.

"Aqua's right. Besides, it would probably be best if we wait until the story's been finished before we fill them in." Mickey replied.

"Besides, they're far too young to have known Xehanort when he lived there." Aqua added as Ienzo cleared his throat.

"I've actually been meaning to ask. But why haven't Sora, Riku, or Kairi been brought into this? Don't they deserve to be in the loop?" Ienzo asked. A sad silence swept over Aqua, Ven, Terra, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Oswald, and Axel.

"Sora's…well he got some unexpected news while we were in the Forgotten Worlds. We're kinda giving him some time to cope with it and Riku and Kairi are giving him moral support." Aqua replied as Ansem, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo all exchanged worried looks.

"I get it. We won't pry then. Let's move on with the story in the meantime." Ienzo said, the others nodding in agreement.

"Alright then." Aqua replied, raising a hand towards the book and beginning the next chapter.

* * *

**End Chapter 19.**

The song above was an altered version of "Jack's Lament" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I do not own the song.


	20. A Splintering Bond

A hooded Lillian looked around in curiosity as she walked through a Medieval city near a large river, having tied off her dory at a small pier. The city seemed oddly deserted but there were celebratory banners hanging from buildings and over the streets, with many of the shops and buildings shut with signs in the windows reading "closed."

"Where is everyone?" Lillian pondered aloud before hearing the sounds of a cheering crowd ahead. She hurried down the street and soon came upon a large tournament grounds with colorful banners and throngs of cheering people as armored knights jousted back and forth on their horses.

"Ah, a tournament." Lillian remarked with a smile as she maneuvered through the crowds, looking around for any sign of the Displaced or their masters. As she made her way through, she suddenly had a vision of something strange. It was a vision of a sword driven into an anvil atop a stone in the middle of an empty churchyard. She quietly began to slip away from the tournament grounds, but as she did, her eyes began to sting.

"Displaced?" she hissed in pain, looking around for the Displaced but didn't see anything. She continued on her way through the town, now on sharp alert for any of the Displaced. As she walked through the town, she passed an inn where a young man with short blond hair was trying to pull on the front door to no avail.

"Oh please open! I gotta get in there!" the boy pled, trying to pull the door open.

"Is something wrong?" Lillian asked, the boy pausing and looking towards her.

"Oh, pardon me ma'am. I'm in a real hurry. I need to get a sword from the inn and quick, but the door is locked." The boy replied.

"What do you need a sword for?" she asked.

"The tournament. I'm a squire and my knight's sword is locked up inside. I…forgot to bring it." The boy replied sheepishly. Lillian smiled sympathetically.

"I might be able to help." She said, summoning her Keyblade. She was about to point it at the door but paused as her eyes glowed again. She again had the vision of the sword in the stone but this time she saw the boy pulling the sword from the stone.

"Huh?" she asked, lowering her Keyblade in thought.

"Oh, is that one of those Keyblades, ma'am?" the boy asked as Lillian looked at him.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, it is. How do you know about it?" she asked.

"Oh I met someone who had one. Maybe you know him. A guy named Eraqus?" the boy asked as Lillian smiled.

"Oh yes, I know him very well. What is your name, boy?" she asked.

"Arthur, but everyone calls me Wart. Oh please, ma'am, could I borrow your sword? I really need a sword for the tournament!" he pleaded. Lillian looked at her Keyblade and gave a sad smile.

"I don't think I can give it to you. But I think I know of a sword you could use. Is there a church yard around here somewhere?" she asked as Wart gave a nod.

"Yes ma'am, this way." He replied, leading her down the street.

"So how did you meet Eraqus?" Lillian asked.

"Oh, he saved me from some strange golden monsters, ma'am." Wart replied.

"Golden Monsters? I see. I'm glad you're safe then." Lillian said.

"Me too, ma'am." Wart replied as they reached the church yard. As they did though, they found it crawling with Displaced. Several Displaced were swarming around a stone with an anvil atop it and a sword driven into it, just like the one from Lillian's visions. (Battle Music Cue: Risky Romp – BBS)

"Displaced! Stay back, Wart, I'll handle them!" Lillian exclaimed summoning her Keyblade and pistol. She quickly leapt into action, firing off a Firaga from her pistol, destroying a few of the Second and Minute Displaced in the resulting explosion. The Displaced turned towards her and then ran away.

"Aye you better…run?" she said but paused when she noticed the Displaced were gathering at a singular point, piling onto each other before taking the form of a much larger beast. The Displaced had become a single larger monster, resembling an Invisible Type Heartless, floating off the ground with an hourglass insignia on its belly, two small bat-like wings, and a smooth round head. Unlike the Invisible Heartless, it had two large swords made of black sands instead of just the one.

"Okay, this is new." She muttered as the Day type Displaced flew towards her with its swords at its sides. It came around at her with a swing of its blades but she leapt back, firing a shot from her pistol but the Displaced deflected the shot into the air.

"Alright, Command Jump!" Lillian declared, suddenly beginning to glow slightly with light. She then bolted to one side, but as she moved, she left a trail of up to five afterimages of herself that soon disappeared. The Displaced tried to swing at her but she dodged to the side, one of the afterimages suddenly blocking the strike. Finally when she had the Displaced surrounded she stopped, the four other afterimages all turning towards it.

"Now!" she declared. Right away she and the five afterimages began assaulting the Displaced from all angles, the beast being unable to defend against her Tier One Command Style: Afterimage. Within seconds the Displaced had collapsed to the ground and exploded into sand. Lillian sighed with relief, her afterimages vanishing in flashes of light. However, before she could relax, three Displaced Portals opened nearby, depositing three more Day Displaced.

"What?!" she yelped (End Battle Music).

"I'll help you out, ma'am!" Wart declared, hurrying towards the sword in the stone.

"No! Stay back, Wart! Stay-…" she said but the moment Wart touched the hilt of the sword, a bright light shone down from the heavens accompanied by the sound of an angelic chorus. The Displaced staggered back into their portals which closed behind them. Lillian turned and saw Wart pulling the sword free from the stone. As soon as he did, the light faded and the chorus ended.

"What was that?" Lillian asked herself quietly.

"What happened? Where did those monsters go ma'am?" Wart asked but Lillian scratched her head curiously.

"I'm not sure. May I see that sword for a moment?" she asked as Wart gave a nod and offered her the sword. She looked it over curiously before noticing something unusual. Engraved in gold just below the hilt, on the blade itself was written…

"Whoso pulleth out this sword in the stone and anvil is rightwise King born of England." Lillian read softly as realization dawned upon her. The boy before her had been ordained by the heavens to be this world's King.

"What's that mean, ma'am?" Wart asked. Lillian smiled at him.

"I think you should run along with that sword and take it back to your Knight. Show it to everyone." Lillian said as Wart looked at the sword curiously before shrugging.

"Well, if you think it's a good idea. Are you coming with me?" Wart asked but Lillian, seeing a safe journey back for him with her visions, shook her head.

"No, but I will wait here. Run along now. Hurry!" She replied, Wart giving a nod and hurrying back towards the tournament grounds with the sword. She chuckled with a smile as she watched him running away.

"You saw his future, did you not?" she heard her sister's voice ask. Lillian turned to see Millicent approaching, wearing her hood up. Lillian looked at her with a scowl, pulling her own hood back.

"I did. He's destined to be a great King of Legend. So I wonder why he would be of interest to you?" Lillian asked as Millicent stopped next to the anvil and stone, pulling her hood back.

"I came here because I sensed a weapon forged of Light. The sword in the stone was meant to choose this world's king. And it chose a mere boy? Most interesting, wouldn't you say?" Millicent asked.

"Not unlike the Keyblade, I'd argue. But what did you intend to do with it?" Lillian asked.

"A contingency plan, in case the Light fail and the foreseen Darkness prevail. I had hoped that the next king of this world would be someone strong enough to properly wield the sword in the stone, not some boy. By the time he is old enough to properly wield it, it may be too late for him to be of any help." Millicent explained before looking at Lillian.

"And what of you dear sister? I thought I told you to stay out of my way. These are matters you shouldn't be meddling with." Millicent said as Lillian looked at her worriedly.

"I'm worried about you, Milly. Your confederates, Ultimecia and the Traveler. Can't you tell they're of the Darkness?" Lillian asked as Millicent put a hand on the anvil.

"I am aware they have some past connection to the Darkness. But they seek to prevent the Darkness that I have foreseen. That is good enough for me, and it should be good enough for you." Millicent explained. Lillian shook her head though.

"Sister, listen to yourself. You're consorting with the Darkness. They're using you. Ultimecia, she brought a Displaced upon me in Timeless River and tried to kill Oswald's brother. Then the Traveler…he trapped me in Mirage Arena and tried to kill me. He even used the Arena to summon a Mirage of the monster that killed and enslaved our shipmates!" Lillian said, briefly dropping back into her pirate accent. Millicent swallowed nervously at the mention of Davy Jones, briefly looking at her right arm where her own Pirate brand rested, partially hidden beneath her Keyblade armor guard.

"Are you certain they weren't simply trying to scare you off the scent?" Millicent asked. Lillian seemed hurt by her sister's answer.

"Milly! I would know when someone is trying to destroy me!" Lillian argued. Millicent looked at her.

"They wouldn't dare. I gave them expressed orders not to harm you or Eraqus." Millicent said, Lillian scowling.

"And yet they dared! Can't you see what this search is driving you towards?! If your visions are true, then there is no stopping the Darkness. All we can do is batten down and prepare for it. Hope we can survive it to usher in a new age of Light." Lillian said but Millicent shook her head.

"No! I will not let the Darkness arise a second time. The last time it did, the worlds were scattered! There would likely not be any survivors if the Darkness comes a second time." Millicent argued.

"You don't know that! Our visions are always vague and difficult to decipher! Is there a possibility that you've interpreted it wrong?!" Lillian asked.

"Of course there is, Lilly! That is why I wish to find the Tempest, so that I can be sure of my visions!" Millicent argued.

"And what if your visions are true?! What then?!" Lillian asked, both sisters growing impatient with the other's inability to see reason.

"I use the Tempest to find the sources of the encroaching Darkness and destroy it before it has a chance to fester!" Millicent replied.

"At what cost?! Master Yen Sid believes that using the Tempest would be too dangerous, and what if you only end up leading those who would use the Tempest for Darkness right to it? What if they end up using the Tempest to make sure the Darkness comes?!" Lillian argued.

"It won't happen! I won't let the Darkness take hold again!" Millicent argued back.

"You can't be sure of that! What if the Darkness is already spreading because of what you are doing?!" Lillian asked.

"Then I can use the Tempest to clean up any mess I leave behind!" Millicent said as Lillian stepped back, her eyes widened in surprise and alarm by Millicent's words.

"You mean you're willing to risk anything and everything, even using the Darkness just to try and exterminate it? Have you forgotten one of the first lessons we're taught as Keyblade Apprentices? Light cannot exist without Darkness! Darkness cannot exist without Light! They're two sides of the same coin! They're eternal, and indestructible!" Lillian said as Millicent sighed in frustration.

"Why can I not get through to you? You've never been this stubborn before. I know I cannot destroy the Darkness. Not completely. But if I can hamstring it, weaken it, keep it forever crippled, then by Calypso I will! Isn't that what we're supposed to do as Keyblade Wielders?" Millicent asked.

"Not like this!" Lillian yelled. Millicent glared at her with a snarl.

"Oh? Then tell me, Apprentice, in your expertise, what is the best way to fight the Darkness?" Millicent asked, stepping up to loom over her sister. Lillian blinked at her in surprise for a moment before finally Millicent stepped back, still scowling.

"You are still young, naïve, and inexperienced. When this is over and the threat is passed, you will thank me for what I've done to protect the worlds. When you're married to your beau, bouncing your children on your knee, you will thank me for my sacrifices." Millicent said, turning away as Lillian lowered her head slightly in sadness.

"And is sacrificing our bond worth it?" Lillian asked, causing Millicent to pause.

"What?" she asked. Lillian looked at her with a serious gaze.

"If you go through with this, I won't have a choice but to try and stop you. I may win, I may lose. But either way, this will destroy the bond we've shared all our lives. I don't want to lose that. We've already been drifting apart for years now…this would be the end of it, for good." Lillian said as Millicent looked at her with a slightly hurt expression, seeming contemplative by her sister's words.

"Lillian…I don't want to see you lost to the Darkness. That's why I am doing this, to protect you, your future, your life." Millicent said as Lillian sighed.

"That just makes it worse. Do you think I want you to do this for my sake? I don't. I want you to be the sister that kept me alive when we were clinging to life on that raft…not the monster we fled from." Lillian said as Millicent glanced away.

"I guess if protecting everything I care about means becoming a monster, then so be it." Millicent said before turning away, walking down the street.

"Milly!" Lillian called out as she chased after her but when he reached her sister, Millicent vanished into thin air. Lillian, recognizing this, turned and saw one of Millicent's magic circles hidden behind the anvil, the circle disappearing soon after. Lillian sighed realizing that Millicent had already departed.

"Milly." She muttered sadly. She then heard an approaching crowd and turned to see a multitude of men and women in medieval garb, several of them armored in knight's armor, approaching the church yard, with Wart amongst them. Wart was being dragged along by a large portly man with a bushy red moustache and carrying the holy sword. Lillian watched as the crowd gathered around the church yard.

"Alright now Wart, let's see the miracle." The older man said, placing the sword back into the anvil. Wart shrugged and was about to reach for the sword when one of the armored knights stepped in and swatted his hand away.

"Now wait a minute. Anyone can pull it once it's been pulled." The knight said, grabbing the sword but when he pulled it didn't budge. He tried to pull again but the sword still didn't budge. The crowd caught on that the sword wasn't moving and several knights started to dogpile, all of them trying to pull the sword free but not succeeding at all. Lillian quietly slipped over towards Wart.

"Hold on, that's not fair!" one of the other knights yelled, the other knights backing away.

"I say let the boy try it." Lillian interrupted, giving Wart a wink. Wart seemed confused by it all as the other knights voiced their agreement.

"Go ahead Wart." She said with a smile. Wart shrugged and started to approach the sword. The moment he grabbed the hilt, another heavenly light and angelic chorus shone down upon him. All of the knights and townsfolk watched in awe as Wart effortlessly pulled the sword from the stone once again.

"It's a miracle." "Ordained by heaven." "This boy is our king." The crowd murmured in awe.

"What's the lad's name?" one of the knights asked.

"Arthur is his name." Lillian replied.

"HAIL KING ARTHUR!" the knight bellowed.

"**HAIL KING ARTHUR, LONG LIVE THE KING!"** the crowed cheered before they all dropped to one knee in reverence of their new king. Lillian smiled and dropped to one knee as well. Arthur blushed furiously and approached her.

"Oh, please don't ma'am. I'm no king." He said but Lillian smiled at him.

"Apparently you are. But don't worry. I foresee you will be a great king. A king of legends, seated upon the throne with a very round table." Lillian said, her eyes closed to hide the glow in her eyes. Arthur looked at her confused as she rose to her feet and quickly and quietly made her way through the crowd to make her exit. Arthur could do nothing as he was mobbed by the celebratory crowd, hoisted onto their shoulders and carried away towards his new palace. Lillian smiled with amusement over her shoulder as she raised her hood, making her way back to her dory.

…

**Elsewhere…**

Lillian's departure was being watched through a magic sphere being held by Ultimecia. The Traveler was watching as well as the pair stood within the foyer of Millicent's mansion.

"Do you think she's beginning to suspect?" Ultimecia asked.

"Who? The sister or Millicent? Bah, it doesn't matter. Answer's yes anyway." The Traveler said dismissively.

"Shall we make our move?" Ultimecia asked as the Traveler looked around.

"It might be necessary. Be prepared to act, just in case." The Traveler said. Ultimecia gave a nod.

"Speaking of which." She said as a pulsating portal of purple and white light opened near them, allowing Millicent to emerge. She stormed up to the both of them with a cross look on her face.

"I want answers! What have the two of you been doing?! Have you been attacking my sister behind my back?!" Millicent roared angrily.

"Not with intent to kill, but yes all the same." The Traveler replied as Millicent summoned her Keyblade, pointing it at his chin.

"I told you both that my sister and her fiancé are off-limits! Xehanort is the only one you're to touch if at all!" Millicent spat.

"I've not had the pleasure of Xehanort's acquaintance yet." Ultimecia said with a smile.

"If you do, then show no mercy." Millicent said, dismissing her Keyblade and turning away.

"Have we made any progress on finding the Tempest?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Unfortunately not. The Displaced are still searching and Master Ory remains elusive." The Traveler said as Millicent sighed in frustration.

"This is getting us nowhere. The Displaced have been leading us in circles or towards dead ends! Why?" Millicent grumbled.

"In addition to strong time magics, the Displaced are drawn to individuals who are considered important within the timeline. To put it bluntly, they can sense greatness. That is why they've been distracted as of late." The Traveler explained as Millicent sighed again and started to pace.

"We're running out of time. I fear if Eraqus, Lillian, or worse Xehanort finds the Tempest first, they may seal it away from us. And you can bet that Master Yen Sid would be among the first obstacles we'd have to deal with to get to it." Millicent said, still pacing.

"What about a different approach, then?" Ultimecia asked as Lillian arched a curious eyebrow.

"What kind of approach?" she asked.

"What if we allowed them to do all the grunt work? Allow them to find the Tempest first, keep an eye on them, and then when it's been found, we swoop in and use it before they can seal it away." Ultimecia said as Millicent bit her lip in thought.

"It's too risky. We have a slight advantage in that we know the most about it, but…I don't want to risk Eraqus or Lillian getting hurt. Xehanort I don't want getting to it at all." Millicent said as the Traveler looked her way.

"What other options do we have? Ah, we actually have one other option. Drawing out Master Ory?" the Traveler suggested as Millicent grimaced.

"It's heartless and cruel…but we have no other choice. But you are to obey my orders to the letter. You will only threaten and endanger the Dandelions enough to draw out Master Ory. No harm is to come to them. Not a single hair on their heads is to be harmed." Millicent said as the Traveler gave a courteous bow.

"I assure you, I have no intention of harming the Dandelions." The Traveler said as Ultimecia gave a nod and a smile.

"Nor do I, Master." She said as Millicent gave a nod and then turned away.

"Good. Make sure it stays that way. And naturally, don't harm Master Ory. We want him on our side more than anything." Millicent said as she used her Keyblade to open another portal, walking through it. As soon as the portal closed, Ultimecia glanced towards the Traveler.

"Do we need this, 'Ory,' to find the Tempest?" she asked.

"Regretfully, yes. So we do as she asks for now. We-…" the Traveler said before he snapped his head around towards the front doors just as they opened, allowing a hooded figure to walk in.

"Well…this is most unexpected." The Traveler said to the figure who smiled.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Xehanort said with a dark smile on his bald-headed face.

* * *

**End Chapter 20**

What is Xehanort planning? Is this where he goes rogue? Or is there something else afoot? Find out in the chapters to come.

Also this isn't the end of the Sword in the Stone world. I know we jumped ahead a little but there's still one more visit left to go for it.


	21. The Highland Games

"Xehanort I presume? You must be brave indeed in coming here, alone." The Ultimecia said, raisng a hand and summoning several large arrows made of magic.

"I come under a flag of truce. I hope we're all civilized enough to respect that." Xehanort said, pulling his hood back to reveal his bald head.

"Surprising. I didn't think one of you would come to negotiate." Ultimecia said, dismissing her arrows.

"An unexpected move indeed. But very well. What do you want?" the Traveler asked as Xehanort placed one hand behind his back, keeping his Keyblade at his side.

"First, I have a question that requires a simple yes or no answer. The answer will determine whether this 'parlay,' to borrow a term from Millicent's seafaring heritage, is to continue. That question is…does Millicent possess a Master's Tome of her own making?" Xehanort asked. The Traveler and Ultimecia exchanged looks, Ultimecia smiling darkly.

"Yes. She carries it with her actually." The Traveler said as Xehanort's smile widened.

"Then you have yourself a bargaining chip. Something I want. Something to exchange for something that you want." Xehanort said as the Traveler put his hands behind his back.

"Oh? And what sort of bargaining chip do you have?" the Traveler asked.

"Everything Master Ory knows regarding the Tempest and the Displaced. I'm willing to trade it in exchange for Millicent's Master's Tome." Xehanort said as the Traveler laughed.

"Knowledge for knowledge." The Traveler remarked.

"Precisely." Xehanort said.

"And what would prevent me from possessing you and taking that knowledge?" Ultimecia asked with a dark smile.

"Good question." Xehanort replied, shooting her a smile of his own, silently daring her to try.

"Ultimecia! He is offering us a much simpler means of advancing our goals. I suggest we consider his offer." The Traveler said as Xehanort smiled and turned slightly towards the door.

"Take your time to discuss your options. If you wish to meet with me to discuss the terms of this deal, I suspect that you will know where to find me." He said before turning and walking out the door. They watched him leave in silence. Finally Ultimecia looked towards the Traveler.

"He drives an interesting bargain. Should we accept it?" she asked as the Traveler turned towards her.

"I need more time to consider it. It would benefit our plans, for sure. But it doesn't change them in the slightest." The Traveler said as Ultimecia smiled darkly.

"Shall we try again with the Dandelions?" Ultimecia asked.

"We will, but not quite yet. Let's discuss the terms with Xehanort and see what he intends." The Traveler said as Ultimecia looked at him curiously.

"Do you believe he intends to double-cross us?" she asked.

"Definitely. The question isn't a matter of if he double-crosses us but when, and how. I for one, am willing to risk it. I don't believe it will impact our plans one way or the other." The Traveler said as Ultimecia approached him.

"Then do you know where to find him to continue negotiations?" she asked.

"Indeed I do…indeed I do." The Traveler replied as Ultimecia smiled darkly.

"Then shall we go continue negotiations?" she asked.

"In a moment. If I'm correct, then he's going to meet with someone he knows…or will know. He's going to place a very important pawn on the board for us." The Traveler replied, sitting down in a chair and tenting his fingers as the world faded to black, the chapter coming to an end.

"So now we see where Xehanort went wrong I guess?" Ven asked.

"I dunno, Ven. I think just from what we've seen so far, Xehanort was always wrong. I mean he's willing to sacrifice anything to find the answers he seeks." Terra said with a heavy sigh.

"Terra, if you need a moment-…" Aqua said but Terra shook his head.

"I'm fine, Aqua. But thanks for the offer." Terra replied.

"Then I suppose we should keep going." Aqua said, earning approving nods from everyone else. She then raised her hand towards the Arcana Librium. The world darkened and showed Eraqus flying through the stars on his glider.

"_As Xehanort plotted and schemed to get the answers he craved, Eraqus continued to search for me, to warn me of the Tempest and it's power. I still look back at his experience here with a bit of a smile. A much needed bright spot amongst the dark backroom dealings being carried out…" _Lillian's narration said as Eraqus faded out, the scene shifting to the grassy grounds outside of an old castle surrounded by forest. There were numerous tents and stands set up with colorful streamers and banners flying. Eraqus, having landed in the woods, emerged with a grin at the sight before him.

"Whoa." He remarked as he wandered the grounds. He looked and saw several men picking up large sawn logs and hurling them into the air, watching how far they flew and where they landed, cheering the furthest one. Eraqus grinned with amusement, impressed at their feat yet questioning why. He then heard a loud skirling sound and covered his ears.

"What the-?!" he yelped, looking around to see a crowd gathering around a large stand where a huge and imposing man stood in front of a large throne. He wore a large cape made of black bear fur, a grey, dark turquoise, and scarlet colored tartan and kilt, with a knobby wooden peg-leg on his left. He had a head full of bright red hair as well beneath a metal helmet.

"Lords and Ladies of the Clans! We are gathered here today to celebrate the first anniversary of the slayin' of tha' mangy bear, Mor'du! And what better way ta do it, than by the Highland Games?!" the man asked with a Scottish accent. This caused the crowd to cheer. Eraqus arched a curious eyebrow and smiled with interest as the man calmed the crowd down.

"Alright lads! As your host and Bear King of Clan DunBroch, I, King Fergus, shall announce the first challenge of the games! And that challenge is the Target Shoot!" the man declared, motioning towards a row of five archery targets set up on a nearby plain.

"The challenge is to hit each target as close to center as possible, however ye like. Fire arrows, throw axes, toss ruddy cabers at the things, but ye canna cross that line! Man with the highest score wins the prize!" Fergus explained, motioning to a line of smooth stones set out to mark the firing line.

"Now then, who wants to go-…" Fergus said before hearing someone clear their throat next to him. He looked and noticed a young woman with long, curly, and fiery red hair in a rugged green dress, holding a bow in her hands and a quiver on her back.

"Right, the first up and representing Clan DunBroch, is none other than my daughter, the Princess, Merida of DunBroch!" Fergus declared as the crowd cheered. Eraqus watched curiously as Merida calmly made her way towards the first position, knocked an arrow into her bow and let it fly. Eraqus blinked in astonishment as she scored a perfect bullseye.

"Whoa." He muttered, the crowd cheering on the young Princess. Merida moved on to the next target, not even breaking her stride as she proceeded to knock another arrow and fire it, scoring another bullseye. Eraqus watched in amazement as she calmly but concentratedly repeated this exact performance for two more targets, scoring bullseyes on each one until finally reaching the fifth where she stopped and fired her final shot, scoring yet another bullseye. The crowd cheered loudly as she rested her bow on her shoulder, facing the crowd with a grin. Eraqus couldn't help but laugh and applaud, thoroughly impressed.

"Light of the Worlds! What a woman!" he remarked, quietly hoping Lillian didn't hear him.

"Ya think so, lad?" Fergus asked, having overheard him. Eraqus turned and saw the man was looming over him with a friendly yet challenging grin on his face.

"Oh I was just admiring her marksmanshi-…" Eraqus said but Fergus slapped him in the back.

"Then why don't ye give it a try, lad? We gotta have more than one competitor after all. And after the Princess scored so high in the first go, none of these wee simperin' jackanapes have the stones to even try." Fergus said with a laugh but Eraqus politely shook his head.

"Oh I couldn't. I could never come close." He replied. The man groaned in frustration.

"Aww come on ya wee babby! It's just for sport and fun! Tain't no shame if ye canna hit the targets lad." Fergus said as Eraqus thought for a moment.

"I can use whatever I want as long as I don't cross the line, right?" Eraqus asked.

"Aye lad. Ye got somethin' in mind?" Fergus asked.

"I think so." Eraqus said, stepping towards the line. He calmly raised his hand in front of him and summoned his Keyblade, slowly sweeping it across in front of him, pointing it at each of the targets before stepping back, a white glow appearing around him before he dropped into his fighting stance. Suddenly, five white magic orbs of light appeared in the air in front of him and with a swing of his Keyblade, the orbs suddenly launched towards the targets at breakneck speeds, colliding with the targets and exploding in pillars of light. When the light faded, all that remained of the targets were scorched craters where they'd been sitting. Eraqus grimaced a little at the sight.

"Ooh, I think I overdid it." He muttered before noticing the silence behind him. He turned slowly to see the dumbfounded crowd behind him. The crowd suddenly cheered, Eraqus was surprised by their reaction. Merida was surprised as well, smiling and applauding as she approached.

"Tha' was impressive. Good shootin'." She said, extending a hand. Eraqus scratched the back of his neck while shaking her hand.

"I didn't mean to go that far." He muttered but Merida just smiled and laughed.

"Ahh don' worry aboot it." Merida said as the large man approached.

"Well done lad! I was aboot to write off the prize but I guess you won it lad!" Fergus said with a reluctant smile.

"Prize? What prize?" Eraqus asked.

"Ah, well, ya see lad, the prize happens ta be, the first allowed to ask for the hand of the princess." Fergus said, causing Eraqus to pale a little.

"Uh, I, um…what?" he stammered, as Merida laughed a little.

"I'll let ye two get on with it!" Fergus said, anxious to get away from the awkward scene.

"Thanks da'! we got it!" Merida said as Eraqus tugged at his collar a little.

"Um, what's this about me asking for your hand? What kind of a prize is that?" he asked.

"It was a wee compromise between me mum and I. Go ahead. I'll give ya time to get ready." Merida said, leaning against her bow a little. Eraqus started sweating.

"As will I, philanderer!" a familiar voice said from nearby. Eraqus and Merida both turned to see a hooded Millicent standing near the cratered targets. Eraqus narrowed his gaze at her, summoning his Keyblade.

"Millicent!" he hissed as Millicent pulled back her hood.

"And here I thought you would be at least faithful to my sister." Millicent said as Eraqus looked at her confused before realizing what she meant, looking at Merida for a moment in surprise.

"What?! Milly are you insane? Well, all things considered, maybe you are! I'm not asking for the Princess's hand! I'm already an engaged man!" Eraqus said as Merida gave a nod.

"Aye and I dinna have any intention of agreein' to marry him. It was just a compromise to get me mum off me back. I have final decision on who I marry." Merida said as Millicent summoned her Keyblade, leaning against it slightly like a cane, with both hands on the pommel.

"Then why compete in the games when that was the prize, Eraqus?" Millicent asked.

"I didn't know that was the prize! You must be losing your mind if you think I would betray Lillian like that!" Eraqus said as Millicent scowled at him.

"I don't believe you. I think you would betray Lillian. Here I am, working to try and create a brighter future for the two of you and you are off running around behind her back!" Millicent hissed as Eraqus stepped towards her.

"I haven't gone behind her back! Not once! Not ever!" Eraqus argued. Millicent sneered at him a little.

"Then perhaps a decent test is in order." Millicent said as she raised her hand, summoning a small round Displaced to her hand. It was almost a perfect golden sphere with round purple eyes and the Hourglass insignia on its back. She then tossed the Displaced to her left, into one of the cratered targets. (Battle Music Cue: Fight and Away – 358/2 Days) Millicent then leapt back just as a whirlwind of gold and purple sands erupted from the crater. Eraqus and Merida stood ready for whatever would emerge from the crater. When the whirlwind died down, they saw a massive black bear, bearing scars from decades of battles. Merida's eyes widened in alarm at the sight of the bear.

"Mor'du! But-but he's dead!" she gasped as Mor'du reared back on his haunches, rising to a towering height, revealing the glowing purple hourglass insignia on his belly, his eyes glowing purple.

"That's Mor'du?!" Eraqus asked as Mor'du came charging towards them on all fours. Merida fired an arrow at the charging bear, the arrow bouncing off his hide, forcing the two to leap away in opposite directions. The two turned to see Mor'du slide to a stop and turn towards them with an angry roar. Mor'du came charging towards Merida but was hit in the side by a Firaga from Eraqus, causing him to turn towards the Keyblade Apprentice. Mor'du let out a roar as Eraqus dropped into his fighting stance.

"Come on, I could use a nice new rug!" he taunted as Mor'du roared and charged towards him. Eraqus leapt up just within inches of Mor'du, stabbing his Keyblade into the bear's back between his shoulder blades, but Mor'du just howled in anger, standing upright and throwing Eraqus off his back. Eraqus rolled across the ground, popping upright next to Merida who had an arrow knocked into her bow.

"I dinna understand! I saw that thing get crushed by a Menhir! How is he still alive?!" Merida asked as Mor'du turned towards them on his hind legs with an angry look on his face.

"That's not Mor'du! It's an echo of him!" Eraqus replied as Merida glanced at him confused.

"An echo?" she asked.

"A kind of imposter, but no less dangerous!" Eraqus replied as Mor'du let out another roar, his hourglass symbol glowing as a purple and golden fire rose from his back and shoulders. He then landed on his front paws with a heavy thud, sending out a shockwave that conjured several Second Displaced.

"Looks like we'll have to break out the big guns!" Eraqus said as he held his Keyblade in both hands, adopting a kendo fighter's stance as a circle of white magic glowed on the ground beneath him.

"Command Jump! Thunder Bolt!" Eraqus declared before a bolt of lighting struck him from the heavens, giving him an electrical charge, having jumped straight into the Thunder Bolt Command Style. He then proceeded to unleash several swift and quick attacks on the Displaced while Merida started firing arrows at Mor'du who roared and started charging towards her. Within seconds, the Displaced had been slain but Mor'du was still chasing after Merida. Most of her arrows were bouncing off his thick hide but one or two would manage to pierce his skin. Before Mor'du could reach her, Eraqus charged into Mor'du from the side.

"Command Jump! Yoake no Doragon!" Eraqus declared, leaping back just as a heavenly light shone down on him, a long dragon-like serpent made of light coiling down the pillar of light before moving to hover just behind him. It was Eraqus's tier two Command Style: Yoake no Doragon (Japanese: Dragon of Dawn). Eraqus then charged back at Mor'du, swinging his Keyblade and striking the Bear, causing the dragon to quickly follow the path of the blade, striking at Mor'du a second time. After a few quick strikes, Eraqus leapt back just as Mor'du spun towards him with a swipe of his paw. Before Mor'du could act, it let out a howl of pain as two arrows pierced its side. Eraqus looked and saw Merida with another arrow knocked into place.

"Come on you mangey bear! Over here!" Merida called, firing another arrow at Mor'du. Mor'du turned towards her but was hit in the side of the head by Eraqus's dragon of dawn.

"Oh no you don't! Over here!" Eraqus argued, the two taunting the bear and confusing him. Finally Mor'du rose up on his haunches and let out a deafening roar, coming back down on his front paws, hitting the ground hard and causing a shockwave that knocked Eraqus and Merida onto their backs. Eraqus and Merida both sat up, expecting Mor'du to come charging after them but instead saw him running away, hurrying into the woods (End Battle Music). The two climbed to their feet, watching him run off. Eraqus's Dragon of Dawn then let out a roar into the heavens before fading out, Eraqus's command style wearing off.

"I guess he realized we were too much for him." Merida remarked as Eraqus looked at her.

"Are you alright, Princess?" he asked.

"Aye. You don't seem worse for wear. But who was that woman just now? Ya know her?" she asked.

"She's my sister-in-law-to-be. I never knew she was like this though. But then…she's not really right in the head right now." Eraqus replied, looking towards where Millicent had been standing and had since disappeared. Merida sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"She dinna have anything ta worry a'boot. I was gonna turn ya down anyway." Merida said, startling Eraqus.

"You were? But I thought I won your hand?" he asked but Merida smiled and chuckled.

"No, you won the right ta ask. I have the right to accept or refuse as I want. And I refused. I don't think I'm ready for a marriage yet. You sure seem like you are though." She said as Eraqus smiled and nodded, pulling off his Mark of Mastery badge and opening it to reveal a photograph of Lillian.

"I am. But I do have…fears." Eraqus said as Merida's father approached.

"Aye we all do laddie. Ye afraid ye won't be good enough for her, or that she'll realize she's too good for ye and run off or somethin'?" the Bear King asked.

"No-no, not like that. We love each other but…I fear that fate may have different plans for us." Eraqus said as the Bear King gave an understanding nod, patting him on the shoulder.

"Aye, I understand lad. Ye canna control fate, just like I canna control my urge to go hunt down that mangy bear again for gobblin' up ma leg!" Fergus said before turning to the crowd of Highlanders gathered around nearby.

"Ye hear that lads! We're on! Second challenge of the games! We're gonna slay that mangy bear again!" Fergus called, drawing a sword and leading the Highlanders into the forest, all of them starting to cheer as they followed him. Merida laughed and checked her bow over.

"Well I guess the hunt is on. Ye care ta join us?" Merida asked but Eraqus smiled and shook his head.

"I can't. I have to move on. I've other places to be." Eraqus said as Merida looked at him worriedly.

"Is it pride? Is it a bond torn by pride between you two?" Merida asked as Eraqus thought for a moment.

"Kinda. She's trying to do something that could get a lot of people hurt. She thinks she can accomplish it without problems but-…" Eraqus said as Merida nodded understandingly.

"Aye, I get it. I hope you can help her before it's too late." Merida said before hearing a war horn in the distance.

"Och! They found it! I better go join 'em! So long! And good shootin'!" Merida called before running after the departing crowd of Highlanders. Eraqus chuckled before summoning his Keyblade and throwing it into the air to summon his Glider. Soon he was airborne, flying through the skies. The older Lillian then began to narrate again.

"_Looking back at this now, I realize my sister had begun a rapid descent into madness sooner than I realized then. The Darkness took hold of her heart, making her desperate, making her easily fooled. Hindsight, especially for Foretellers, can be especially heartbreaking…" _Lillian's narration said as the scene shifted to Xehanort traveling through the stars.

"…_meanwhile, Xehanort traveled to the world where he intended to sit in waiting for the Traveler and Ultimecia's reply. In looking at the present and the future, I realize now that this is where Xehanort would form a bond with one who would prove himself…uniquely beneficial to his future plans."_

The world went dark for a moment before revealing Xehanort standing in the streets of a familiar city, smiling up beneath his hood at the castle in the heart of Radiant Garden.

* * *

**End Chapter 21**

I wanted to do the typical "Tell-the-original-Disney-story-but-with-KH-characters" kind of thing but with Brave, but it just seemed a bit difficult to do the main story so I went with a semi-original story, kinda like what they've done with Olympus Coliseum and a few of the worlds in Kingdom Hearts 3 (won't mention which ones for sake of avoiding Spoilers).


	22. Dark Bargains

Xehanort, his hood up, walked through the market of Radiant Garden, quietly biding his time waiting for the Traveler and Ultimecia to give their reply to his offer. His walk took him into the backstreets near where Eraqus had confronted the three youths. He suddenly stopped with his hands behind his back. A second later a small marble hit a hidden magic barrier and ricocheted into the air. Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow and smirked as another marble hit the barrier followed by a semi-steady barrage of them.

"Come on!" a young voice groaned from nearby. Finally Xehanort spun around in time to catch one of the marbles out of the air. Standing atop a barrel near the alleyway was a young boy with long black hair in a frizzy topknot. He wore a black shirt with white stars on it and black pants with black and white sneakers. In his hands were a pair of light purple colored toy guns rigged to shoot marbles. The boy sighed before leaping off the barrel to collect his marbles.

"Alright, how'd you do it? What was that, magic?" the boy asked as Xehanort fingered the marble in his hand. It was a simple purple marble with an arrow insignia drawn on it and the number two on it.

"Very astute observation. You recognize magic when you see it?" Xehanort asked as the boy shrugged casually, picking up his marbles and stuffing them into his pockets.

"I know someone strong when I see 'em." The boy replied as Xehanort smiled a little.

"Strength isn't everything. Cunning, intelligence…those can beat strength almost every time." Xehanort said.

"But what if you have all three?" the boy asked as Xehanort chuckled.

"Do you know someone with that?" Xehanort asked but the boy scoffed.

"As if! No one who hangs around with me is that strong or smart. Maybe those three weirdoes Even, Dilan, and Aeleus, but not just one of them." The boy replied. Xehanort chuckled again, casually tossing the marble in his hand up and down.

"Is that so?" Xehanort asked before conjuring one of his Ethereal Blades just inches from the boy's face. The boy blinked in alarm at the crackling bolt of energy hovering in front of him.

"Tell me, what is your name?" Xehanort asked.

"Braig." The boy replied as the bolt vanished.

"Take my advice then, Braig. You have future potential. I recommend seeking out those three you mentioned. Befriend them, learn from them. If they possess more power than you together, learn from them so that if what you desire can be achieved without them, you can act accordingly. In the meantime…" Xehanort said before his Guardian Armor appeared behind him with its arms crossed. He then motioned towards Braig. The boy looked around and recoiled in shock at the veritable sphere of Ethereal Blades hovering in the air around him.

"…heed this warning. Don't bite off more than you can chew. You will find that whatever you bite off, could come back and choke you to death. In short…be a good boy." Xehanort warned. Braig was frozen stiff for a moment before grinning and brazenly aiming his toy gun at him.

"I know a bluff when I see one." He said confidently. Xehanort smiled and started laughing, dismissing the Ethereal Blades and the Guardian Armor.

"Well played. There may be hope for you yet. I may need to keep an eye on you and your future. I might have…use for you." Xehanort said before turning away and walking on down the street, pocketing the marble in his hand. Braig watched him leave with a slight scoff.

"Me? Work with you? As if." He scoffed as he turned and started walking down the street in the opposite direction. Xehanort, in the meantime, made his way into the gardens. He was wandering rather aimlessly to buy time. But as he approached the city gates, he came to a stop and smiled, turning in time to see the Traveler standing a short distance away from him.

"I take you've come with your answer?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler gave a nod.

"We accept your terms, Xehanort. You have a deal." The Traveler said.

"You have the tome then?" Xehanort asked with a widening smile.

"Not yet, but we will. This is merely a meeting to inform you of our decision." The Traveler said as Xehanort noticed Ultimecia appear to his right.

"Excellent. I shall remain here in this world for the time being. Once I have the tome, I will show you the location of where you will find the information." Xehanort said as the Traveler and Ultimecia looked at each other.

"I think we can make that happen. We won't be handing the tome directly to you of course. That would be too suspicious. But you will get the tome through an intermediary. Once you have it in your hands, you will know it's from us." The Traveler said as Ultimecia approached him.

"I suppose that means we're executing our contingency plan?" she asked as the Traveler gave a nod.

"Indeed. Would you care to join us, Master Xehanort?" he asked but Xehanort shook his head.

"I think not. The less I know, the better." Xehanort said as the Traveler gave a bow.

"Probably for the best. It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Master Xehanort. Come Ultimecia. It's time we took charge." The Traveler said before both of them disappeared in Corridors of Darkness. Xehanort quietly started walking away, headed back into town with a dark smile on his face and his hands behind his back.

…

Back in Twilight Town, within the damaged dining hall of her mansion, Millicent sat in one of her chairs, trying to see into the future, her eyes aglow. She stopped trying to peer into the future as she heard the doorknob rattle and turn. She rose to her feet as the door opened to allow the Traveler and Ultimecia to enter.

"Any progress?" Millicent asked.

"Potentially." The Traveler said as he closed the door behind them.

"Potentially?" Millicent asked, confused.

"We need to have a little chat. Ultimecia and I have been talking. We think it's time we took the lead on searching for the Tempest. Clearly our present methods are insufficient. It's time for a change of leadership." The Traveler said as Millicent looked at them suspiciously.

"And what would you propose we do then? Kill the Dandelions to draw out Ory? I already gave you the go-ahead to threaten them. I will not acquiesce to killing them." Millicent said but the Traveler shook his head.

"No-no-no. Please. Killing children doesn't even factor into this. We have a possible lead and we just need one thing from you to get hold of it." The Traveler said as Millicent summoned her Keyblade, using it like a cane with one hand on the pommel.

"And what is this thing you need from me?" she asked. The Traveler and Ultimecia both exchanged looks, Ultimecia smiling with a hand on her hip.

"When we came to you, we offered you our experiences, our knowledge, as those who are able to travel through time, to help you find the Tempest. Our coming here even brought you the tools to help you find the Tempest as well. We told you upfront that a price was to be paid for our assistance." Ultimecia said as Millicent furrowed her brow suspiciously, looking at her.

"I assumed it was to use the Tempest to see how to improve your own futures." Millicent said. The Traveler shook his head.

"That was and is our goal, but not our price." The Traveler corrected.

"Did you really think we just travel through time to help people out of the goodness of our hearts and not expect anything in return?" Ultimecia asked, moving to stand next to the Traveler, her arms crossed over her chest. Millicent scowled a little at this.

"I was left with no other resorts. Agreeing to your assistance was my last resort. I also recall my question to you. Can you help me with my quest?" Millicent asked as Ultimecia and the Traveler looked at each other (Music Cue: Poor Unfortunate Souls – The Little Mermaid).

"My dear, sweet Millicent. That's what we do. It's what we live for. To help unfortunate folk of the past, like yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to." The Traveler said as he and Ultimecia started to flank Millicent before Ultimecia started to sing…

"_I admit that in my past I've been a nasty.  
They aren't kidding when they call me, well, a witch."_

The Traveler then joined in to sing…

"_But you'll find that nowadays,  
we've mended all our ways.  
Repented, seen the light and made a switch."  
True? Yes."_

Ultimecia then smiled and raised a hand, conjuring a small magic glow over her clawed hands, singing…

"_And I fortunately know a little magic.  
It's a talent that I always have possessed.  
And here lately, please don't laugh,  
I use it on behalf,  
of the miserable, the lonely and depressed."_

"Pathetic." The Traveler mumbled to himself before Ultimecia continued…

"_Poor unfortunate souls.  
In pain, In need."_

The Traveler then held up two figurines made of golden sands, of two nondescript people both slumping in sadness as the Traveler sang…

"_This one longing to be happy.  
That one wants to get the girl,  
and do we help them?"_

Ultimecia then put a hand on Millicent's shoulder with a reassuring smile towards the curious Millicent.

"Yes, indeed." She said as the Traveler continued, still carrying the figurines, singing…

"_Those poor unfortunate souls  
So sad, so true.  
They come flocking to our cauldron,  
crying, 'Spells, help us, please!'  
and we help them?  
Yes, we do."_

Ultimecia then stepped towards the Traveler, singing with a face of faux-disappointment…

"_Now it's happened once or twice,  
someone couldn't pay the price._  
_And I'm afraid we had to rake 'em 'cross the coals."_

She then tapped the figurines, causing them to turn black and morph into small Shadow Heartless figurines, causing Millicent to scowl at them as the Traveler sang…

"_Yes, we've had the odd complaint,  
but on the whole we've been a saint,  
to those poor unfortunate souls."_

"So you want to make me into a Heartless, is that it?" Millicent asked but the Traveler groaned and banished the figurines with a flick of his hands (Pause music)

"That would be vastly counterproductive. What we want is the Tempest and although we can manipulate time, there is such a thing as patience…and ours is run out." The Traveler explained.

"But what is this price you want me to pay? If it's not my heart, what is it?" she asked.

"We're not asking much. Just a token really." Ultimecia said as the Traveler gave a nod.

"A trifle. What we want from you is, your tome." The Traveler said, pointing at Millicent's Master's Tome clipped to her side under her coat. Millicent arched a confused look, pulling the tome from her side and looking at it suspiciously.

"My Tome? Why? What good would it do you?" Millicent asked as the Traveler gave a light shrug.

"Quite simply, we've made a deal to acquire Master Ory's knowledge on the Tempest without having to even harm a hair on the head of a single Dandelion. All we have to do is trade your tome for it." The Traveler explained as Ultimecia stepped past Millicent who looked at him suspiciously.

"Trade it with whom?" she asked, suspecting his answer.

"Why, the very person you don't want to have it." The Traveler said as Millicent's eyes widened in alarm.

"Xehanort! Never! What does Xehanort know about the Tempest? How did he learn it?" Millicent asked.

"Quite simply, they found Ory first and shared his knowledge with them already." Traveler said as Millicent scowled and held her tome closely to her chest with one hand and holding her Keyblade at the ready with the other.

"Then you can tell Xehanort to take his deal and shove it. I'm not parting with my tome." Millicent said as the Traveler chuckled.

"We thought you might say that." He said before snapping his fingers. Millicent's eyes widened and she spun around in time to block an attack from Ultimecia with one of her lances. She shoved Ultimecia back and spun around in time to swing and knock the sword from the Traveler's hand, holding him with the Keyblade at his face.

"So it's now a betrayal! You just lost everything now. My research is clear that you need me to find the Tempest." Millicent said as the Traveler started to laugh in dark amusement.

"Ah, but we do have you. That's where Ultimecia comes in. Her powers to possess others is quite formidable." The Traveler said as Millicent's eyes widened briefly before leaping away, putting both the Traveler and Ultimecia in front of her.

"Possession? For all the good it will do you. I also know you will need a Keyblade to use the Tempest. I can tell Ultimecia has no Keyblade and as I understand it, if she possessed me, she would not be able to use my Keyblade. Unless you mean to recruit Xehanort to your side." Millicent said as the Traveler laughed darkly and raised his hand.

"We've got that covered." The Traveler said. There was a dark swirl of energy and a crackling of electricity around his hand before finally summoning a black and silver twin-shafted blade that those viewing from the present recognized, pausing the story in shock.

"It can't be!" Aqua gasped, leaping to her feet. Terra snarled at the sight of a very familiar Keyblade…

"Master Xehanort's Keyblade." He hissed as he saw the projection of the Traveler clutching the very Keyblade. The story resumed as Millicent's eyes widened at the sight of the Keyblade in the Traveler's hand.

"That Keyblade! I've seen it before in my…my visions!" She exclaimed as the Traveler chuckled and lowered the Keyblade.

"And now she figures it out. We have everything we need that we're aware of. A Keyblade, and the eyes of a Foreteller. But there are a few things we need to take care of, even after we gain the knowledge from Xehanort we seek. But we're running out of time and patience, Millicent. It's time to wrap things up." The Traveler said as Millicent scowled at him.

"I'd sooner die than let you have this!" she said, raising her Keyblade and tome with intent of destroying her tome. But before she could move, she was pounced by a pair of Day Displaced, the two grabbing her arms and twisting them hard, causing her to drop both the Keyblade and Tome with a yelp of pain.

"I find it best if you don't struggle." Ultimecia said as two Second Displaced appeared and formed around Millicent's hands, creating two spheres of tightly compacted sand, rendering Millicent unable to summon her Keyblade. She tried using her Time Stamp ability to escape but she couldn't.

"The Displaced have your powers neutralized right now, Millicent. I'd give up and accept your fate." The Traveler said as Millicent scowled defiantly.

"I assume you mean to finish me off once you have what you want?" she asked as the Traveler gave a polite nod.

"Eliminating you is on the to-do list. Along with Ory and your dear sister. Can't leave any loose ends you see. Can't have anyone going back and undoing any changes to the timeline in the Tempest we might make." The Traveler said as Millicent thrashed slightly.

"I'll not let you!" Millicent hissed (resume music).

"You have no choice. And really this conversation is getting old and time is wasting!" the Traveler said before starting to sing…

"_Now listen we don't like a lot of blabber.  
We have all we need to find the door!  
Yes, to us it's much preferred,  
for you not to say a word,  
and after all, dear, what is idle prattle for?"_

Ultimecia then chimed in, singing as she approached Millicent with a triumphant smile…

"_Come on, we're not all that impressed with conversation.  
we certainly avoid it when we can!  
But the night will usurp dawn,  
on the lady who's our pawn!  
It's you who claimed to have the master plan!"_

The room darkened and an eerie yellow light shining up from beneath the floor, the mansion itself reacting to the steadily rising Darkness from the Traveler and Ultimecia as Ultimecia continued…

"_Come on, you poor unfortunate soul!  
It's too late! Do your part!  
I'm a very busy woman,  
and we haven't got all day!  
It won't cost much,  
just your heart!"_

The Traveler then sang as he approached Millicent…

"_You poor unfortunate soul!  
It's sad, but true!  
If you want to cross a bridge, my dear,  
you've got to pay the toll!  
We've waited long enough,  
and finally we'll make heads roll!  
The Tempest will be ours at last!  
It's time to rock and roll!"_

The Traveler and Ultimecia then looked at each other, Ultimecia grinning darkly as they both sang…

"_**This Poor! Un! Fortunate So~ul!"**_

The two then snapped their heads towards Millicent who scowled for a moment before lowering her head in defeat, unable to stop them. The Traveler then looked at her as Ultimecia stepped in behind her.

"_Bermuda, Tortuga,  
oh witch of the Caribbean Sea!  
You tried to defy us!  
Now bow before us!  
Say your last words to me!"_

The Traveler sang as the beaten Millicent kept her head lowered (End Music).

"Anything?" he asked, after a moment. He then noticed a teardrop fall from her head, muttering something with her head bowed.

"What's she saying? A spell?" Ultimecia asked.

"No, I don't sense magic. What is-…" the Traveler replied, leaning in close to listen into Millicent's mumblings. That's when he heard it and stood upright.

"What is it?" Ultimecia asked but the Traveler merely turned away with his Keyblade at his side.

"Her last words." He replied as Ultimecia smirked at her soon-to-be host. Millicent merely kept her head bowed, quietly singing to herself as Ultimecia's darkness started to overwhelm her…

"_Yo-ho, all hands. Hoist the colours high. Heave-ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die."_

* * *

**End Chapter 22**

The song above was an altered version of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from Disney's "The Little Mermaid." I do not own the song.

Just a fair word of warning, we're about to enter some musical territory so there's going to be a few songs in the next few chapters.


	23. Doubts

In the reading room, everyone sat with apprehension at having seen Xehanort's Keyblade in the hands of the Traveler.

"How is that possible? How did he get hold of Xehanort's Keyblade?" Ven asked.

"Are we even sure that isn't Xehanort?" Oswald asked.

"His voice is different, and none of the abilities we've seen him use so far match any of Xehanort's own." Terra replied.

"That we know of." Aqua added.

"And forgive me, Superior, but your voice is different from that of Xemnas." Ienzo said as Terra sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"I wish I could gain access to more of Xehanort's memories, maybe find out who this guy is." Terra said as Ansem cleared his throat.

"It may be possible. We could place you within the memory restoration pod that we placed Sora in. But that would also require Namine's assistance." Ansem explained.

"And while I'm sure Namine and Kairi would be delighted to help, I dunno if they even could." Axel interjected.

"We've noticed that, with Namine and Roxas, they can only briefly manifest and control Kairi and Sora's bodies. And even then, that control has to be voluntary and is only temporary." Aqua explained.

"Same could be said of Xion, too. Although given she's a girl in a guy's body she's not really keen on that I would imagine." Axel said with a snicker. Ienzo, Ansem, and Even quietly exchanged curious looks.

"Ansem, is there something you want to share?" Mickey asked, noticing their looks.

"Actually, it so happens that, with the restoration plans for Radiant Garden already laid out, we've been returning to some of our previous lines of research, such as our research into Replicas." Even explained.

"You haven't made anymore have you?" Ven asked, Axel sitting forward in his seat.

"Yeah, no offence, but so far most of the replicas we've encountered haven't exactly been the real friendly type." Axel said as Ienzo gave an understanding nod.

"We've not brought any to life but we have been working on improving the bodies." Even replied.

"And under my close supervision." Ansem added.

"I know what you're thinking and they won't go for it." Axel muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Aqua asked as Axel sighed, sitting forward again.

"I'd just be getting my hopes up. But Roxas, Xion, Namine…they wouldn't go for it. They won't go for being independent. I know how they feel. To them, being part of the hearts that birthed them is their destiny. And this is coming from an ex-Nobody." Axel said, sitting back in his chair. Ansem, Even, and Ienzo exchanged looks again.

"Axel's right. Kairi offered Namine her independence but she refused." Aqua added.

"That's because she's a Nobody. Without her, Kairi is incomplete. Some of Kairi's power is drawn from Namine." Terra explained.

"Speaking as an ex-Nobody, and back me up on this guys, but every Nobody has a sense of longing. A feeling that they belong somewhere. We can ignore it all we want, and some of us get really good at ignoring it, but it's always there. That empty feeling, that empty sucking where your heart has to be." Axel explained, earning nods of agreement from Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo.

"He's right." Aeleus added.

"I think we should let them decide for themselves. Knowing Sora and Kairi, they'd have no arguments in freeing Roxas, Xion, and Namine. But it's very possible that they would have a problem with it." Ven said before Shantotto sighed and cleared her throat.

"Are we going to continue to veer off subject? If we vote to continue the topic, I object." Shantotto said as Aqua nodded.

"She's right. We should return to the story. Like with all these mysteries, I'll bet Master Lillian explains them all by the end." Aqua said as they all settled in for the next chapter. Aqua then raised her hand towards the book, the world darkening to reveal a hooded Xehanort as he sat upon the slanted roof of one of the buildings in Radiant Garden (Ambiance Cue: Organization XIII – KH2 or Remix). He sat up on the roof, overlooking an empty square where a young Ansem passed through with a pen and clipboard, writing something down as he surveyed the square.

As he sat on the roof, a Corridor of Darkness opened, the Traveler emerging from within.

"The Tome is within our possession. We will be passing it to Millicent's sister. You'll be able to find her eventually in the Highlands. We'll make sure to lure her there so as to pass off the tome to her." The Traveler reported as Xehanort smiled a little.

"Good. Once it's in my possession, the information will reveal itself." Xehanort said as the Traveler gave a slight nod.

"We look forward to the conclusion of our business arrangement." The Traveler replied as Xehanort glanced his way.

"Tell me. What will become of Millicent when this is over?" Xehanort asked.

"I think we both know the answer to that." The Traveler replied. Xehanort looked down towards the square where he saw Dilan, Even, and Aeleus, walking past.

"Can't say as I'll shed a tear. But I hope it will be a quick and painless end for her." Xehanort said.

"I can't guarantee that." The Traveler said.

"So be it." Xehanort said as the Traveler looked at him.

"You aren't going to go retrieve your prize?" the Traveler asked as Xehanort rose to his feet.

"I've been contemplating things. You and I seem to be a lot alike. More alike than I care to admit. I can tell you possess a Keyblade, yet you don't summon it. Are you, perhaps, worried that I will recognize your Keyblade?" Xehanort asked as he moved to stand at the top of the roof, his hands behind his back. The Traveler responded by summoning his Keyblade, holding it with the blade pointed directly to his left. Xehanort looked at it and arched an eyebrow.

"Do you recognize it?" the Traveler asked.

"It resembles my own, almost identically." Xehanort said as he summoned his own, holding it up to compare. The blades were almost perfect palate swaps of each other. Xehanort's was largely white or grey while the Traveler's was largely black.

"Curious, is it not? Your Keyblade is of the Realm of Light, while mine is of the Realm of Darkness. And yet, this is the Keyblade I chose to use. As you well know, we can wield the Keyblades of our predecessors and comrades by merely acquiring their keychain." The Traveler said as Xehanort arched an eyebrow.

"And which is this one? A Keyblade belonging to a predecessor or a comrade?" Xehanort asked but the Traveler chuckled and dismissed his Keyblade.

"Ah, but that is my little secret. Now if you'll excuse me, to remove a specific obstacle in my path." He said before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. Xehanort stared at where the Traveler had been for a moment with curiosity.

"Duplicate Keyblades. One of Light, the other of Darkness." He muttered aloud in thought, taking a glance down into the square where he saw Even, Dilan, and Aeleus meeting up with Braig, the four talking for a moment before following Braig down the street. Xehanort quietly turned and walked down the opposite side of the roof. No one in town noticed a light flying off into the sky (End ambience).

…

Meanwhile, Lillian sat in the back of her dory, on a calm but dark and foggy sea. The fog was so thick, she could only see maybe two or three feet in any direction. She sighed as she looked around, summoning her Keyblade and pointing it towards the front, using her magic to summon a gust of wind to fill her dory's sail. That was enough to get her moving again. She looked up and saw that the fog hadn't blocked out the stars. She could see enough of them to get her bearings. She then turned her boat to starboard, hoping to find a way out of the fog. As she sailed, she saw a light start to flicker within the fog.

"Hmm?" she hummed curiously, staring at the light. As she sailed towards the light, the fog ahead of her started to lift a little and she could see a pair of large rocks sticking out of the water. None were in her direct path but it put her on alert and there was more than enough space to sail between them. The light continued to shine ahead of her, but as she sailed between the rocks, she saw something on them that made her pause in quiet confusion and mild alarm. Driven into the rocks on both sides were four Keyblades. To her right was Eraqus's Mark of Mastery and Ory's Two-Pence, while to her left was her sister's Abyssal Tide and her own Daughter of the Sea. All four Keyblades looked weathered and battered from age. She watched the rocks as she sailed away from them, the rocks disappearing into the fog behind her. She then heard a voice behind her clear their throat. She spun back around towards the bow of her dory and saw a hooded Professor Co sitting in front of her by the mast.

"Hullo. Do you mind my askin', but how do you control this vessel?" he asked as Lillian blinked at him confused. She looked around and realized that she wasn't on an ocean but was floating adrift in the stars. Her armor was around her as well. She'd been having a vision.

"Huh? Oh, uh, Professor Co, right?" she asked.

"Aye lass. Oh, sorry, I do have a tendency to pop in unexpectedly. Can't be helped. But seriously, how do you control this? I'm terrible with ships." He said as he looked around the dory. Lillian chuckled.

"First, it's a boat. A ship carries boats. Not the other way around. Second, I control it like this." She said, summoning her Keyblade and pointing it at the sails. Right away a shimmering light appeared at the bow of the dory, just below the waterline, a flow of glowing and shimmering water-like magic flowing beneath it as a magical wind fill the dory's sails, the dory starting to move through the stars.

"Well that's impressive. I've always wondered how you used this thing like a Glider or a Gummy Ship." Co said with a grin. Lillian shrugged and sat back a little, a sphere of soft blue magic appearing around the dory as it sailed. The sphere was a magic barrier to protect them from the darkness of the void. Lillian's helmet then vanished as she reclined, propping one of her armored feet up on the seat next to Co.

"I discovered that there's a common element between every world I've known or visited. Water. There's always water. Travel far enough in any direction in any world, and you will find a body of water. I believe that because of that, you can travel to any world by boat. So far, I've as of yet to be proven wrong. Also what's a gummy ship? Can you eat it? It sounds like a candy." She asked as Co laughed and shrugged.

"I didn't name it. It got named long before I came along. I dunno what they were thinking when they named it." Co said as Lillian chuckled.

"So what brings the strange time traveling Professor aboard my vessel. Which I'm forgiving your presence by the way. Otherwise, I'd be within my rights to keelhaul you. Next time, ask for permission to come aboard. Only proper." She commented as Co grinned and shook his head in amusement.

"Well, I happened to see you floating and thought you might need help. So, here I am." He said as she gave a courteous nod.

"Good to see chivalry still exists in your time. And I thank you for your concern but I was fine. I was…lost in one of my visions, you see." She said, looking away worriedly.

"Seems like it was a bad vision for you to be making that face." Co said, looking around on his seat, confused.

"Aye it was a-…what are you doing?" she asked.

"I seem to be sitting on something." He muttered. Lillian sat up a little and kicked at something beneath his chair, knocking a couple of corked brown bottles free from beneath his seat.

"Oh so that's where the rum's gone." She muttered, briefly dropping into her pirate accent as Co picked up the bottles, both of them full.

"Got a thing for rum do ya?" Co asked, handing her one of the bottles.

"Only as a nightcap. I'm very careful not to get drunk." She replied, sticking her bottle under her seat.

"That vision must've been disturbing. Care to share?" he asked but Lillian furrowed her brow, looking worried.

"I'm not sure. I need to try and find out more about it. See if I can have it again." She said as Co shrugged.

"Is there a way to do that?" he asked. Lillian thought for a moment before cocking her head to one side slightly.

"There is. There's a place in Magician's Bayou I can go to, to relax and try and summon forth my visions. I've had luck there before in the past." She replied, the dory starting to turn a little to port, adjusting course on its Captain's will alone. She then looked to Co.

"Professor, I'll understand if you refuse, but I must ask…is there anything about the future that you can tell me?" she asked but Co smiled, sighed, and shook his head.

"Alas, no. Nothing you're allowed to hear. But I will say this as a simple reminder of something you already know. Light cannot exist without Darkness and Darkness cannot exist without Light." He said, standing up. Lillian sat up, her helmet disappearing as the protective sphere of magic faded away.

"Permission to disembark?" Co asked as Lillian chuckled.

"It's 'permission to go ashore' and there's no shore here." She replied but Co grinned.

"I think I'll manage." He replied before throwing himself off the starboard side and through a door that appeared and then disappeared out of the air. Lillian shook her head in amusement. She then pointed her Keyblade at the sails, summoning more wind to speed up the boat towards a star before her. As she neared the star, there was a bright flash of light. Before the light faded away, she could feel the boat rocking slightly and hear the lapping of water against the hull. The light faded to reveal the familiar shanty town of Magician's Bayou. Ahead of her though was a low wooden bridge that she knew she couldn't clear with her dory's mast and sail. Fortunately there was a small pier nearby. She tied off the dory and headed to shore, starting to walk along towards the bridge. As she crossed the bridge, she paused at the sight of a familiar Tarutaru sitting on the railing with a fishing line tied to the end of her staff.

"It's good to see you haven't managed to drown. But I must say you're the third Keyblade Wielder to come to town. So what is it this time? Displaced? The Tempest? Or perhaps looking for a Professor who speaks in rhyme?" Shantotto asked as Lillian smiled a little.

"I'm actually just passing through, Professor. I'm headed down river. I've some…thinking to do." Lillian said as Shantotto arched an eyebrow.

"So no yearning for answers from me? I'm quite shocked. Astonished. And that's an unusual state for me." Shantotto replied as Lillian continued across the bridge.

"For a change, not this time." Lillian said as Shantotto shrugged.

"Pity your boat cannot survive the river. The rough waters would sink it and make you shiver. Ah but then there's always the foot-path. Arguably the best way to avoid nature's wrath. Knowing you though you'd pick the hard way for fun. I'd have to agree as the smoothest course isn't an exciting run. But to your puzzles you must tend. Be sure to say hello to our mutual friend. She'll be happy to have you come 'round the riverbend." Shantotto said as Lillian smiled at the professor.

"Thank you…but, now I am curious. I wouldn't turn down some of your advice on a personal problem." Lillian said with a look of uncertainty. Shantotto looked at her curiously.

"Advise on a personal matter? I suppose it's none of my business but the notion does flatter." She said as she stood up, letting go of her staff which remained floating in the air.

"Do you think that…Eraqus and I will end up together as we hope? My visions haven't been that reassuring as of late in that regard." Lillian said as Shantotto looked at her pityingly.

"My approval of your union earns my obvious response. I'd already picked out your wedding gift. Don't get too excited. It's a sconce. But I sense that your worry is of destiny's designs. You've seen visions and read the signs. Perhaps apart from your love is your fate. Whether to accept that or defy it is still up for debate." Shantotto said as Lillian gave a nod.

"Yes. I want to be with Eraqus. I haven't imagined a future without him. I love him with all my heart." Lillian said as Shantotto gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Asking me and my record for romance is a bit foolish. But despite appearances, I'm a hopeless romantic beneath my own style of boorish. Alas I cannot help you with your debate. I can only hope that you both have good things that await." Shantotto said as Lillian nodded understandingly.

"Thank you for listening anyway Professor. Simply airing my concerns is a help. Normally I'm refreshed by the uncertainty, knowing that there's always some mystery to life instead of having everything shown to me." Lillian said as Shantotto smiled at her.

"For a daughter of the sea, you are a puzzle with no end. It's quite poetic I suppose. You seem to enjoy not knowing what's around the riverbend." Shantotto said as Lillian chuckled (Music cue: Just Around the Riverbend – Pocahontas).

"It's the mystery to it I suppose." Lillian said, summoning her Keyblade and tossing it into the water. Seconds later her Keyblade Glider floated to the surface. Her Glider resembled an anchor with two clock shaped rings at the ends of the spokes on the anchor, with the clock arms spinning like propellers.

"_What I love most about rivers is,  
you can't step in the same river twice.  
The water's always changing, always flowing."_

Lillian sang as she stepped onto the glider, the glider setting off down the river, riding it like a surfboard…

"_But people, I guess, can't live like that  
We all must pay a price.  
To be safe, we lose our chance of ever knowing,  
what's around the riverbend?"_

She sang as she rounded a bend towards some rapids, grinning as she approached them.

"_Waiting just around the riverbend,  
I look once more,  
just around the riverbend!  
Beyond the shore,  
where the gulls fly free!  
Don't know what for!  
What I dream the day might send,  
just around the riverbend…"_

Lillian expertly managed to maneuver through the rapids onto some calmer waters that passed a large waterfall feeding into the river as she sang…

"_For me,  
calling for me."_

She glanced at the waterfall with a smile as she sang…

"_I feel it there, beyond those trees,  
or right behind these waterfalls,  
can I ignore my visions' constant drumming?  
For a handsome sturdy husband,  
who builds handsome sturdy walls,  
and always dreams that something might be coming,  
Just around the riverbend?"_

She looked ahead and grinned as she saw a short waterfall and more rapids ahead as she sang out…

"_Just around the riverbend!  
I look once more,  
Just around the riverbend!  
Beyond the shore,  
somewhere past the sea!  
Don't know what for!  
Why do all my dreams extend,  
Just around the riverbend?"_

She managed to navigate the waterfall and rapids, riding her glider through a cloud of mist…

"_Just around the riverbend…"_

She sang but slowed to a stop with a hesitant look on her face. Before her was two river paths, one with a smooth slow flow to the river, while the other was rocky and rough. She swallowed nervously as she started to sing…

"_Will I choose the smoothest course,  
a future for just me or us?"_

She sang, pulling off her badge and looking at the picture of Eraqus inside.

"_Will I marry Eraqus?  
Is all our dreaming at an end?"_

She asked almost tearfully, trying to push aside the daunting thoughts of being apart from him. She then looked towards the sky curiously as she sang…

"_Or do you still wait for me, oh future,  
just around the riverbend?"_

She sang as she turned and guided her glider down the rougher river towards a large weeping willow tree sat at the edge of the river.

* * *

**End Chapter 23**

The song above was a slightly altered version of "Just Around the Riverbend" from Disney's "Pocahontas." I naturally do not own the song.

Some of you have also wondered if we'd ever see Lillian's Keyblade Glider since she uses her dory all the time. Well hopefully this answers it.


	24. Fears

Lillian stood upon her Keyblade Glider as it hovered over the water of the clear blue river in Magician's Bayou, headed towards a muddy bank just outside the vine-like curtain of leaves surrounding a large weeping willow tree. Lillian stepped onto the land and made her way through the vines, her Keyblade glider vanishing. Behind the curtain of vines was a tall and majestic willow tree with a large stump sitting just beneath it near the base and over the water. Lillian smiled at the tree and started climbing up onto the stump.

"Is that my Lillian?" an old woman's voice asked, seemingly from out of nowhere. Lillian smiled as she continued to climb onto the stump.

"Grandmother Willow, yes it's me." Lillian said as she knelt down on the stump, looking up at an oblong shape in the tree's bark. The shape began to quickly morph and change until a gentle and elderly woman's face appeared within it, smiling at her.

"Hello again Lillian. My goodness! You've grown so tall." The tree, Grandmother Willow, said proudly.

"It's been a long time. So much has changed and is changing. I…I felt like I needed some advice." Lillian said as Willow smiled gently at her.

"What is the matter, child? You seem afraid. Worried." Willow asked. Lillian bit her lip hesitatingly.

"Well, first of all, Eraqus and I are engaged now." Lillian said as Willow smiled delightedly.

"Eraqus! Oh-ho why I could see the two of you together. There's always been a love for each other in your hearts. But this isn't why you've come, is it child?" she asked as Lillian sighed and gave a nod.

"I'm afraid it might factor into it. You remember my vision? The one of the light and the foggy sea?" Lillian asked.

"Yes, I do. I remember it was right here when you first had that vision, wasn't it?" Willow asked as Lillian nodded.

"Yes, and I've seen it again and again ever since. But recently, the vision was longer and…I'm afraid of what it might be trying to tell me." Lillian said as Willow gave her a sympathetic smile.

"What do you think it's trying to tell you, child?" she asked. Lillian sighed heavily with hesitation.

"Well, lately my Sister has seemed to have gone rogue. Her visions warn her of a coming Darkness and she wants to do all she possibly can to prevent that Darkness from coming. Master Yen Sid believes that her actions could cause more harm than good. And with my vision just now, I fear he might be right." Lillian explained as Willow looked thoughtful for a moment.

"What was the vision?" she asked. Lillian shifted a little uncomfortably at the memory.

"Well, it starts while I'm in my dory, sailing over a foggy sea. I take a bearing with the stars, adjust course. But directly ahead of me is a light far off in the fog, piercing through it. A crisp and pure light. I sail towards it when two small sea stacks appear with a pair of sandy banks between them. I sail between them when I see, on the banks, are the Keyblades of my sister, Master Ory, Eraqus's, and my own resting on them, old and weathered by the elements. Ownerless. I watch the keys as I pass and that's when the vision stops." Lillian explained with a look of worry as Willow listened in closely. Lillian then looked up at Grandmother Willow.

"What do you think it means?" Lillian asks as Willow smiled sympathetically.

"It sounds as if the vision is warning you, preparing you for what your path may bring." Willow said as Lillian arched a curious eyebrow.

"Grandmother Willow, what is my path? Are we even sure it is my path?" Lillian asked. Willow chuckled again with an air of nostalgia.

"Your sister came to me once with that very same question." Willow said with a smile.

"She did? What was it about?" Lillian asked, anxious to hear of her sister.

"She said she'd had a bad vision as well, much like yours. She never told me what her visions showed her, but she asked me for guidance just the same." Willow replied as Lillian shifted onto one knee.

"What did you tell her?" Lillian asked as Willow smiled (Music Cue: Listen With Your Heart I – Pocahontas).

"I told her to listen. There are spirits all around you child. They live in the Earth, the Water, the Sky. If you listen, they will guide you." Willow said as Lillian rose to her feet, closing her eyes in peaceful concentration. The wind started picking up around them, gently blowing Grandmother Willow's leaves. Lillian then heard something…

"I hear something. The wind." She said as Willow smiled.

"Yes. What is it telling you?" Willow asked as Lillian's face scrunched a little as she tried to make sense of it.

"I don't understand." She replied. Willow merely smiled and started to sing…

"_Que que na-to-ra,  
you will understand.  
Listen with your heart,  
you will understand.  
Let it break upon you,  
like a wave upon the sand."_

"I hear it…It's coming to me now." Lillian said as Willow smiled and kept singing…

"_Listen with your heart,  
you will understand."_

Lillian stood with her head towards the sky and her eyes closed until she finally opened her eye lids, a bright light shining in her eyes.

In her vision, the vision played out like it had before, with her in her dory, getting the bearings from the stars, sailing towards and between the rocks. Unlike before, only one of the four Keyblades were driven into the ground. Eraqus's Keyblade was the one still there. But as she sailed past the rocks, she saw Eraqus standing near his Keyblade, smiling sadly at her as she approached. Lillian looked at him and reached out a hand towards him but he shook his head, raising his closed fist out towards her and opening it, revealing a small golden star that shined in his hand. The star then flew towards her, moving to fly right into her heart. Lillian looked at her chest for a moment before looking back towards Eraqus. He stood, still smiling lovingly at her but with a tear running down his cheek while three more small stars, each glowing a different color, one blue, one orange, and one green, floating in the air around him. She watched as Eraqus vanished into the fog behind her. She then turned to see the light still ahead of her. After a moment, she heard a voice echoing in the distance.

"_De~ead men tell no ta~ales!"_ the voice echoed as a bolt of lightning flashed, the wind picking up but not blowing her off course. In fact her dory stayed on course despite the wind. She then saw the grey fog turning brown and soon saw why as she began to sail between two strange dry desert-like areas of land, a narrow water filled river flowing between them. What she saw on the land though made her shiver with fear. For as far as the fog allowed her to see, she saw nothing but weathered and battered Keyblades sticking out of the dirt like tombstones. It was a place she'd heard of only in legends: The Keyblade Graveyard. Lillian swallowed her fear of the place as the dory followed the river around a bend, past a mound in the center of an unusual four way intersection between the rows upon rows of Keyblades. Sitting on this mound were two Keyblades: Millicent's Abyssal Tide and Ory's Two-Pence, both lifeless and weathered. Lillian looked away as the Keyblade Graveyard abruptly ended, disappearing into the sea, the fog consuming it again, the brown fog even turning back to the grey. Now she was still within the fog only now there was no land and the water was still. She looked around and saw only the darkness of the night and fog around her. She sighed before looking to the sky and what she saw made her eyes widen (A/N: A good ambience cue right here would be the orchestral version of Simple and Clean).

"What the-…" she said in awe as she saw that the light that had been guiding her had risen into the sky, shining brighter than before. The light shone so brightly it burned off the fog in an instant, shining like the sun as it descended again, flying just ahead of her, wind filling her sails and propelling her dory towards the light. Lillian grinned excitedly and climbed atop the mast to try and see what lay ahead. The light stayed just ahead of her, guiding her towards something in the distance that she couldn't make out. All she knew was that this light made her feel warm, safe, reassured. She looked as she saw thirteen other stars appear in the sky behind it, forming the shape of a heart with the light in the center. Lillian smiled in awe at the sight before all thirteen of the stars faded out with the light of a rapidly approaching dawn just behind her. She could hear the sound of seagulls overhead, signaling land was nearby. She then saw something fall into her dory and she leapt down to retrieve it. It was a strange yellow star-shaped fruit that she had never seen before. The light ahead of her suddenly shone much brighter than before flying straight towards her. The last thing she saw before the light struck her was the star shaped fruit.

She blinked in surprise and found herself under Grandmother Willow's canopy, the enchanted tree looking at her curiously but with a smile.

"What did you see, child?" she asked as Lillian blinked again, the glow in her eyes gone now. She looked down and smiled a little.

"It's not the future I wanted…but it is a no less bright future." She said as Willow smiled gently.

"Then I suppose this is goodbye, child. You know your path, child. Now follow it." Grandmother Willow said as Lillian sighed sadly and gave a nod.

"Thank you for everything, Grandmother Willow. If only I could repay you somehow." Lillian said but Willow chuckled with a smile.

"There is nothing I would want. Go live as happy a life as Destiny will grant you." She said before her face faded away into the tree. Lillian smiled and nodded before turning and climbing down off the stump, stepping onto the ground and summoning her glider. She used the glider to fly straight back to her dory tied up at the pier near the bayou. Shantotto had long since left the bridge. As Lillian cast off and brought the dory around to sail away from the Bayou, she pulled off her Mark of Mastery badge, opening it and looking at Eraqus's picture inside. A tear ran down her cheek as she ran a finger over the picture.

"Are we meant to be?" she asked softly, thinking back to her vision as she sailed away into the Lanes Between.

…

Back in Disneylahn, Yen Sid was carrying a sleeping Si'Lea back into the throne room, Oswald following close behind.

"So you think Mickey will be able to join us soon?" Oswald asked.

"Yes indeed. It'll be nice having another person around once Eraqus and Lillian are gone from here…no offence." Yen Sid said as Oswald gave a dismissive wave.

"Oh don't worry about it Mast-…" Oswald said before he and Yen Sid paused mid-step. They looked at the thrones and saw that Master Ory had vanished.

"Oh now where could he have gone?" Yen Sid asked, moving on towards Si'Lea's bassinette.

"Maybe he's in the bathroom." Oswald said. Yen Sid was about to set Si'Lea down when he noticed something shiny on the floor in front of the throne that Ory had been sleeping in. He narrowed his gaze, a magic glow appearing around it at his silent command and flying to his free hand. Yen Sid took one look at it before his eyes widened in alarm.

"He's not cleaning himself up!" Yen Sid said as he recognized the object as being Ory's enchanted trinket with the two beads marking the different Dandelions he'd found and the orange bead was glowing with a bright pulsating light.

"He's in trouble!" Yen Sid said. A bright light started to shine behind them, the two turning to see a large round ring of blue light appearing in the air…

…

Moments earlier in the neighboring Twilight Town, it was nearly nighttime as a young man with short brown hair and a goatee stepped off the train to Sunset Terrace, walking towards Sunset Hill. In his arms was a sleeping toddler, a boy no more than two years old with semi-spiky brown hair. The man carried the sleeping boy towards the hill, unaware that a figure in a black coat stood watching them from atop the station roof. The Traveler quietly summoned his sword before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness. The Sunset Hill of thirty years ago was generally the same as it was presently, only lacking the scale model of the train station tower. The man made his way up to the top of the hill, sitting down on one of the benches, and setting the sleeping youth down on the bench. The man smiled at the youth before sitting back with a relaxed sigh, leaning his head back. He then heard footsteps in the grass and looked forward to see a figure in a black coat approaching, holding something in its right hand (Ambience Cue: The Other Promise – KH2 Remix). The Traveler had his blade held in a reversed grip, the blade concealed by his arm and back, leaving only the hilt and pommel visible in his hand.

"Can I help you?" the man asked, standing up. The Traveler stopped at the top of the hill, standing between the man and the path back down the hill. The Traveler remained silent before swinging his sword out from behind him with a flourish, pointing the blade at the man. The man stepped back in alarm before looking at the boy on the bench, still asleep. He quickly moved to stand between the Traveler and the boy.

"Who are you? What do you want?!" the man asked.

"Your life." The Traveler replied as the man's eyes widened in fear and alarm.

"W-what?! Why? I haven't done anything to you! I don't even know who you are!" the man said as the Traveler gave a slight bob of his head from side to side.

"That's correct. We don't know each other. Never met before. And yet you are an obstacle in my path." The Traveler said as the man looked at him perplexed.

"Then why?!" The man asked. The Traveler remained silent for a moment before glancing to his right slightly where Master Ory stood just behind him, his Keyblade summoned and pointed towards the Traveler. Ory was catching his breath from the effort of having caught up to them.

"That is a question I'd like to know the answer to as well!" Ory said as the Traveler turned towards him, his sword at his side.

"Ah, Master Ory. I'm glad we get to meet at last. I assume you know how I drew you out. You wouldn't be here otherwise." The Traveler said as Ory bared his teeth at him.

"You endanger one of the Dandelions to draw me out so as to gain my knowledge on the Tempest! Am I mistaken?" Ory asked but the Traveler laughed.

"Very good observation, Master Ory. But ultimately…incorrect." The Traveler said, confusing Ory.

"What? But even Master Yen Sid acknowledges that I'm the foremost expert on the Tempest! What else could you need me for if not that knowledge?!" Ory asked. The man behind the Traveler remained between him and the boy on the bench, looking around for something he could use as a weapon.

"Ah but you've been rendered unnecessary. You're now just another piece that needs be taken off the board, so that other pieces can be put in their proper places later in the game." The Traveler explained as Ory looked confused.

"I don't understand." Ory replied as the Traveler pointed his sword at him.

"Then I will do you this one favor and spell it out. I come from the future, a future where you've been dead for decades. Admittedly my plan here was to draw you out and then interrogate you for knowledge on the Tempest, but much like the times, those plans changed." The Traveler explained as Ory kept his Keyblade raised defensively.

"How so?" Ory asked.

"I struck a bargain with one of your own. Knowledge for knowledge. Would you like to know who your betrayer was?" the Traveler asked as Ory snarled at him.

"You'd really tell me?" he asked, skeptically.

"Xehanort." The Traveler replied bluntly. Ory's eyes widened in shock at first before narrowing.

"Xehanort?! He wouldn't!" Ory replied.

"He hasn't…at least not yet. But the bargain was struck and he is a man of his word, and I know enough about how history plays out. You are all foolish as to trust Xehanort to remain your ally. Millicent's fears about him are well founded and accurate." The Traveler explained as Ory grimaced in anger, reeling internally at the revelation of Xehanort's betrayal.

"And now because of that, I'm no use to you?" Ory asked.

"The only use you serve is as an obstacle in the path to achieving my goals. But don't take it too hard. Even before my plans changed, I had every intention to kill you." The Traveler said as Ory snarled at him.

"Then it's me you want, and not the child's life?" Ory asked. The Traveler started laughing. The man behind the Traveler then spotted a large rock near his feet and quietly picked it up.

"I'm going to let you in on one last secret. The Dandelions were never in any true danger from me or from my allies." The Traveler said as Ory arched an eyebrow.

"What? Then they were just bait for me after all?" Ory asked. The man behind the Traveler began to cautiously approach with the rock in hand, ready to try and attack the Traveler from behind.

"That, and like I said, the Dandelions were never in any real danger…their parents on the other hand…" the Traveler said before vanishing in a haze, reappearing behind the man and delivering a slash up the back, a look of shock on his face. Ory's eyes widened in horror.

"NO!" Ory exclaimed as the man collapsed onto the ground, a deep black cut up his back, emanating dark energy. In the present, Terra convulsed forward, a hand on his chest.

"Terra?! What is it, what's the matter?!" Aqua asked as the scene continued. Terra looked up with a look of shock on his face, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I remember this!" he said. That's when they all noticed the boy on the bench was sitting up, looking confused at the man on the ground.

"Daddy?" the boy and Terra both asked at the same time, Terra's eyes widened even more as he shook in horrid realization. The dying man looked towards him, weakly trying to reach for the boy.

"Terra." He whispered weakly before his body turned to pure light and dissolved in a rising cloud of white sparks of light. Ory then let out a battle cry and charged towards the Traveler, the two exchanging fast blows, fighting their way down the hill. Ory's fatigue showed however and he was quickly losing ground to the Traveler. As they dueled, the young Terra heard a strange sound and looked to see a bright light fast approaching.

"Master ORY!" Eraqus yelled as he came flying in on his Keyblade Glider, quickly switching the Glider to its Keyblade form and dropping down onto the hill between the Traveler and Terra.

"Eraqus! Go! Protect the boy! Protect Terra!" Ory yelled as he fended off the Traveler. Eraqus looked at the young boy who, out of fear, was looking for where his father had gone.

"No way, Master! Let me help you!" Eraqus argued. Ory scowled in frustration as he fended off the Traveler. He managed to shove the Traveler away with a single vicious swing before spinning back and pointing his Keyblade towards Eraqus. A portal made of light appeared in the air just behind Eraqus, the portal showing the throne room of Disneylahn, Master Yen Sid and Oswald standing on the other side, both spinning towards the portal in alarm.

"I said go!" He yelled before a powerful cyclone of wind erupted from Ory's Keyblade. Eraqus quickly grabbed Terra to shield him from the winds. Ory could tell the Traveler was quickly approaching him from behind. The cyclone finally picked up both Eraqus and Terra, flinging them towards the portal. Eraqus and Terra tumbled through, Eraqus shielding the boy the whole way. Once they'd landed, Eraqus scrambled to his feet, Keyblade in hand and prepared to charge back through.

"Master Ory!" Eraqus yelled. A look of shock suddenly appeared on Ory's face as he made a weak gasp. The cyclone suddenly died off completely but the portal remained open. Ory proceeded to slowly fall forward onto his face, his Keyblade falling from his hand, the Traveler standing behind him with his sword held out to the side, having just dealt a mortal wound. Eraqus, Yen Sid, and Oswald all looked on in horror as Ory's body turned into a rising cloud of lights floating into the sky, his Keyblade vanishing as well. The Traveler lowered his blade and looked at the portal as it started to rapidly close.

"One down, one to go." He replied before the portal closed completely. In Disneylahn, Yen Sid and the two Apprentices stood in shock and horror at what they had just witnessed. Yen Sid seemed the most devastated of all, placing a hand on his chest, clutching it with a look of grief on his face. Eraqus and Oswald both lowered their heads in grief as well. After a moment they heard a sniffle behind them and turned to see Terra, standing behind them, tears in his eyes as he looked around at his strange surroundings in fear. Eraqus put a hand on Yen Sid's arm.

"Master…the Dande-…" Eraqus said as Yen Sid raised Ory's trinket. The glow had gone out from it. Eraqus didn't recognize the object. Yen Sid proceeded to approach the young Terra, placing a hand on his forehead. Terra's eyes suddenly closed and he started to fall over, fast asleep, but Yen Sid caught him.

"Master, what did you-…" Eraqus said as Yen Sid picked up the unconscious toddler.

"I put him to sleep, and used an old spell to conceal his memory of today and his years before now. He will only remember if I break the spell, or the memory is forced upon him." Yen Sid replied soberly, carrying him over towards the thrones. A small bed appeared next to Si'Lea's bassinette, Yen Sid putting the boy into the bed and tucking him in.

"Master, what do we do?" Eraqus asked as Yen Sid looked at the two children before him.

"What if we were looking at this the wrong way?" Yen Sid asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Eraqus asked. Yen Sid looked at him, a stern and serious expression on his face. All hint of the mirthful and jovial Keyblade Master had vanished from his tone and mannerisms.

"Oswald, watch after these two for me will you? I need to do some thinking alone for a moment. Eraqus, you are to find Lillian and Xehanort and recall them back here immediately. Tell them what has happened, but first, go to Timeless River, Oswald's world, and bring his brother Mickey here, personally." Yen Sid instructed as Eraqus took a deep breath, giving a nod.

"I won't fail you, Master." He replied with every ounce of confidence he could muster before turning and running to the doors leading to the balcony. Oswald watched as Yen Sid turned and walked towards the doors leading to the courtyard. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he saw a twinkle of light reflecting from the tear running down the Master's left cheek. The world then started to fade to black as the reading room returned. However when it did, Aqua, Ven, Axel, and especially Terra were missing.

"Where did-…" Dilan said but Ansem raised a hand, shaking his head with a grim expression.

"They need a moment alone together, and that is a moment we shall grant them." Ansem replied looking mournfully towards the open doors leading out into the hall.

…

(Ambience Cue: Missing You – KH2 or Remix)

Terra stood alone on Sunset Hill, staring at the spot where his father had died thirty years prior. His expression was one sad shock as he replayed the scene of his father's murder over and over again in his mind. Aqua, Ven, and Axel stood quietly at the foot of the hill, looking sadly towards him.

"Are you sure we shouldn't try to comfort him?" Ven asked as Aqua gave a slight nod.

"We will. But right now, he just needs a moment alone." Aqua said as Axel stood behind the two with his arms crossed over his chest, an angry scowl on his face.

"I hate this." He mumbled, earning their attention.

"Axel?" Ven said as Axel looked straight ahead.

"First Sora, now Terra! I dunno about you, but I'm getting pretty pissed off about watching my friends getting bad news, and knowing that there's not a thing I can do about it!" Axel hissed in frustration.

"Sometimes there isn't anything we can do, Axel." Aqua said as Axel glared at her.

"Sorry but I don't accept that! I'm not prepared to watch another friend descend into grief! I can't! Especially when I know-…" Axel said before grimacing and turning away with his hands clinched at his sides.

"Especially when you know that I'm next to experience that same grief?" Aqua asked as Axel and Ven both looked at her in surprise. Aqua had a sad expression on her face. Axel studied her for a moment before he blinked in surprise.

"Wait, you knew?!" he asked with a slight snarl but Aqua shook her head.

"Not about Terra!" she argued, quelling Axel's anger in an instant, replacing it with surprise and confusion.

"Aqua, what are you saying?" Ven asked as Aqua grimaced with anguish, taking a deep breath.

"The Dandelion that Ultimecia attacked in Radiant Garden…that was me. That was my mother she attacked." Aqua said as Ven looked at her in shock.

"How do you-…" Ven said as Aqua sighed slightly.

"It was before you came along, Ven. I asked Master Eraqus once about my mother. I wanted to know who my parents were. He didn't know who my father was, but he told me that my mother died when I was still very young. That I was from Radiant Garden. He didn't tell me how she died. I figured that part out on my own only recently, not long after we read about Ultimecia's attack on the Dandelion in Radiant Garden." Aqua explained as Ven and Axel looked at each other in surprise before looking back at Aqua.

"You figured it out and didn't tell us?" Ven asked as Aqua took a breath.

"I wasn't sure. I suspected. But when the Traveler killed Terra's father and left Terra alone, that was all the proof I needed." Aqua explained sadly. Ven then looked at Axel curiously.

"And how long have you known?" Ven asked.

"About as long as Aqua, really. Simple math. Four Dandelions, right? Well if Si'Lea and Mickey are two of them, then Terra and Aqua had to be the other two. They're the only four who are even old enough to have been alive back then. I just wasn't sure which was which." Axel explained. Aqua and Ven looked at him surprised.

"You really are smarter than we give you credit for, Axel." Ven said as Axel smiled and tapped the side of his forehead.

"Got it memorized?" he asked before his smile instantly vanished, looking at something behind the other two. They both turned to see Terra standing behind them.

"Terra." Aqua said as Terra took a deep breath.

"I've already mourned my father. The blood of the man who died back there flows through me, but I can't call him my father, not completely. I thank him for helping to bring me into these worlds, and I can hope that I would be making him proud were he still alive. But the man I called father died eleven years ago." Terra said, gently touching the collar of the haori Aqua wore around her, the same haori that Master Eraqus wore in life. Aqua, Ven, and Axel all gave him sympathetic looks of their own in return.

"Terra…" Aqua said, the older Keyblade Apprentice looking at her curiously as she shrugged off the haori, looking at it in her hands.

"…when Sora and I met Master Eraqus's spirit, he said that it's tradition to hand down a robe like this to the first apprentice to become a Master. I told him that I wasn't going to give Sora this one, even if he became a Master. In the excitement of that plus other events as of late, I'd forgotten the reason I told Master Eraqus that." Aqua said before holding it out towards Terra with both hands.

"Terra, I didn't give it to Sora, because this wasn't meant for him. I wanted to give it to you." Aqua said as Terra took the haori in both hands. Terra looked at it in silent awe for a moment before holding close to his chest for a moment. He then looked up and smiled at Aqua, a small tear running down his face.

"Now you did it." He said before pulling her into a hug. Aqua was startled for a moment before smiling and putting her arms around him in return. Ven quickly found himself pulled into the hug as well, the younger apprentice not putting up any resistance at all. Axel watched with a warm smile. Terra then smiled at him.

"Axel…" he said, waving him over. Axel blinked in surprise.

"Wha-, me?" he asked as Aqua and Ven stepped aside, their arms around Terra and his arms around them.

"You're one of us now." Terra replied.

"Keyblade or no, you're part of our family." Ven added.

"Although we do have to consider a thing called personal space." Aqua said with a knowing smile. Axel grinned and winked at her.

"Relax. As you know, fire and water don't exactly mix." Axel said as he approached and joined in the group-hug.

"But what about opposites attracting?" Ven asked with a cheeky smirk.

"In this case?" Aqua asked back with a smile.

"No chance in hell." Axel added, Ven and Terra both snorting with laughter. They then broke the group hug, Terra holding the haori draped over his left arm as he took one last look at the hill before turning back.

"Come on, let's go back. We shouldn't leave the others waiting for long, and we've got a story to finish." Terra said as the others nodded.

"Right." Aqua replied before Terra put a hand on her shoulder.

"And we'll be right there for you when we get to…" Terra said as Aqua gave him an appreciative look and a nod.

"Thank you." She replied softly, quietly dreading what she feared would come, as they turned and started heading back towards the train station.

…

Soon the four were walking back into the reading room. A hush fell over the room as they returned.

"Terra, is everything alright?" Mickey asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine. It's like I told them. I already mourned my father. It just…stings to be reminded of it." Terra said with a sad expression as they sat down.

"Would you be alright calling it a day with the telling of this story? We can certainly continue tomorrow if you feel like taking some time to process things." Ansem said but the four all shook their heads.

"Unless anyone else wants to call it a day, we're ready to continue. Please don't hesitate to speak up if you want to put off the rest of the story until tomorrow." Aqua said, looking over the rest of the room, but no one spoke up. Aqua slowly started to smile as she realized they could continue.

"I think that's a unanimous vote against stopping for today." Even said with a smile.

"I think we're all anxious to hear the rest of the story." Dilan added.

"It's true. Why I even find myself getting caught up rereading my old journals from start to finish from time-to-time." Jiminy said as Donald and Goofy both nodded in agreement.

"Then, let's keep going." Aqua said as she raised a hand towards the Arcana Librium, the world around them darkening but only slightly, allowing the older Lillian to appear before them, looking sadly towards Terra.

"_I know what you must've seen just now-…I wish I didn't have to include it." _She said but Terra gave an understanding nod.

"I know. But thank you for showing me anyway. I had a right to know after all." He said as Lillian gave a smile and nod.

"_Thank you. And you are correct. But sadly this is not the only tragedy that will occur in this story." _Lillian said.

"We know, and we're ready." Aqua said, Lillian smiling at them, the world darkening even more as the next chapter fully began. Lillian vanished, only to be replaced by her younger self, sailing on her dory once more through the stars.

"_Amidst the sadness and tragedy that occurred in the worlds around me, I continued on my way, traveling the stars, continuing the original mission. The mission to find clues leading to the Tempest and to find and convince my Sister to cease her pursuit of it. Back then, I had no idea what had occurred around me, no idea of Master Ory's loss, my sister's possession by Ultimecia, or anything. All I knew was, my visions had cast doubt on the future I had hoped for, a future of being together with the man I love. These doubts would continue as I sailed towards another world…_

* * *

**End Chapter 24**

The song above was "Listen With Your Heart I" from Disney's Pocahontas. I do not own the song. As a side note, "Que-que-nah-to-rah" means "You Will Understand," at least it does in the translation I've seen.

Long chapter, I know, but I couldn't find a good cutoff point, so I just decided to continue on.


	25. The Brave Princess

Lillian's dory sailed through foggy waters until she finally saw a sandy beach at the foot of a large green forest covered hill. She looked around and could see tall and majestic mountains poking up above the fogbank. Lillian proceeded to run the dory aground, climbing out and pulling it a little further ashore to keep it from being swept away by the water. She then looked around, pulling up a hood over her head and starting to walk into the forest. As she walked, she noticed something peculiar.

"What are those?" Lillian pondered aloud as she saw a strange trail of small blue lights appearing near the ground, marking a hidden path for her to follow. Lillian turned and started following the lights through the forest, leading her to a strange clearing on the top of the hill where several large and tall stones sat arranged in a circle. One stone however had been knocked over and the skeletal remains of a massive bear claw stuck out beneath it. Lillian looked at the fallen menhir curiously. Her eyes suddenly lit up, showing her a vision, but unlike normal this was no vision of the future…

She saw two massive black bears battling one another, one covered in scars and broken weapons in its hide while the other defended a young red haired maiden. The mottled bear was suddenly knocked repeatedly into the menhir until it finally toppled onto him, crushing him to death. Lillian put her fingers over her eyes, rubbing them slightly at what she had seen.

"Was that-…?" she asked, realizing that she'd had her first vision of the past instead of the future. Lillian's contemplation was disrupted when she heard a rustling in the trees behind her. She turned and saw the red haired maiden from the vision come wandering out of the forest, an arrow knocked into her bow, ready to fire it at a moment's notice, but looking around curiously. She then spotted Lillian and looked at her curiously.

"Oh, hullo. Have ya seen a bear come this way?" Merida asked but Lillian shook her head.

"No but then I just got here." Lillian replied but her accent gave Merida pause.

"You sound like the lady that was here a while ago." Merida said as Lillian pulled back her hood with a worried expression.

"Older woman? Similar accent? Carried a funny sword? Air of the sea about her?" Lillian asked as Merida gave a nod.

"Aye, that's her. Oh! You must be Eraqus's bonnie lass!" Merida said as Lillian blinked in surprise.

"Oh you've met my fiancé." Lillian said with a smile.

"Aye. Although I must apologize, he accidentally won a contest to ask for my hand. I turned him down though. He wasn't aware I was the prize." Merida explained a little hesitantly. Lillian burst out laughing in response.

"That sounds like Eraqus!" she chortled.

"So no confusion eh? You're not goin' ta summon an angry bear to attack me too, are ya?" Merida asked hesitantly.

"Heavens no! Why would…ah, Millicent did that, didn't she?" Lillian asked, Merida nodding in response.

"Aye." She replied.

"Then on behalf of my sister, I owe you my deepest apologies. If there's anything I can do to help make amends…" Lillian said as Merida gave a slight nod.

"Well, there's takin' care of Mor'du." Merida replied as Lillian glanced at the fallen Menhir for a moment.

"Mor'du? Is that the name of the bear crushed beneath this stone?" Lillian asked, motioning towards the skeleton of the bear beneath the stone. Merida noticed it and blinked in surprise.

"Aye. So it is cursed." She muttered to herself.

"What's that?" Lillian asked, confused.

"Mor'du was slain a year ago. But that woman, your sister, she summoned Mor'du from the dead to attack Eraqus and me self." Merida said as Lillian looked at her in alarm.

"The dead? Impossible…or is it?" Lillian muttered before they heard a rustling in the woods nearby (Battle Music Cue: The Encounter – KH2 or Remix). They both turned to see the monstrous black bear in question emerge, growling at them as it approached. The two quickly adopted defensive postures, their weapons at the ready, both of them backing away from Mor'du as he continued to stalk towards them. Lillian's eyes started to sting as she stared at it.

"Ah, I get it. It's not actually Mor'du but more of a ghost." Lillian before Mor'du suddenly let out a loud roar at the two, sending out a cone of gold & purple energy rippling towards them. The two quickly dove in opposite directions, dodging the cone.

"If that's a ghost were you come from, I think I prefer me own shores!" Merida said, firing an arrow at Mor'du but the arrow ricocheted off his tough hide while still drawing his attention. Mor'du proceeded to rise up onto his haunches where Lillian could see the hourglass insignia on his stomach.

"A Displaced?!" she exclaimed before narrowing her gaze at the beast. Mor'du started to charge at Merida but was suddenly hit by a couple pot-shots of Firaga magic from Lillian's flintlock, Mor'du snarling at her out of the corner of its mangled eye.

"Aye that's a good beasty, focus on the Foreteller." Lillian said as she started to circle Mor'du, firing her flintlock at the ground to cast small stop spells that did nothing but made enough time magic to catch the Displaced's attention. Mor'du grunted before it leapt at her. Lillian ducked under the bear, running her Keyblade across its stomach as it passed overhead, Mor'du crashing to the ground behind her, crashing headfirst into a menhir. Lillian popped back up behind Mor'du, backing away from him as he staggered to his feet, turning towards her with an angry growl.

"This thing's tougher than the old Mor'du! My arrows aren't havin' any effect on him!" Merida exclaimed, keeping an arrow trained on it as Mor'du shook off its daze. Lillian quickly spun towards Merida, pointing her Keyblade at the young Princess.

"En-Fire!" she declared, Merida's bow adopting a fiery red glow to it. At that time, King Fergus and several other highlanders arrived from the road.

"Let's see if it likes you now!" Lillian said, Merida marveling at the bow for a brief moment before taking aim and firing an arrow at Mor'du, the arrow exploding in a burst of flames on impact, surprising Merida as well as Fergus and the Highlanders.

"How did she bloody do that?!" Fergus asked in surprise. The Highlanders stayed just outside the ring of menhir stones, the stones forming a makeshift perimeter.

"Da! We've got it!" Merida said just before Mor'du came charging towards the two. Lillian and Merida quickly started to flank him, taking potshots at it from the sides before Mor'du rose up on its haunches before slamming down onto the ground, sending out a powerful shockwave. Lillian quickly dove in front of Merida, summoning a Reflega around the two of them, the shockwave crashing against it, sending out a burst of light magic in all directions.

"That was too close!" Lillian yelped as Mor'du suddenly vanished in a burst of gold and black dust only to reappear in front of them on his haunches, a paw raised to swipe at them.

"Jump!" Lillian yelled, the two diving away just before Mor'du could strike them. The bear turned towards them with a frothing growl and a dark aura rising from him. Lillian realized what was going on.

"Something's empowering it. But how?" Lillian asked, sensing its increasing strength. Hiding in the trees though, a pair of golden eyes watched with a dark smile beneath its hood. Mor'du, suddenly got down onto all four of his legs again, clawing at the ground. It suddenly charged towards the two Princesses who bravely stood ready to fight it. But before the bear could reach it, Lillian saw something large and white blow past her from behind and tackle the massive bear, slowing it to a halt. She looked and saw the upper torso of a suit of white Keyblade Armor, grappling with Mor'du with superhuman strength.

"Looks like I got here just at the right time." A familiar voice said. Lillian looked over her shoulder to see Xehanort approaching, his hood over his head, left hand behind his back, and Keyblade at his right side.

"Xehanort! I'm glad to see you, but how did you know where I-…" Lillian said but Xehanort kept his eyes fixed on Mor'du as his Guardian Armor kept it at bay.

"Later. For now, I think I found a perfect wedding gift for you." Xehanort said as Lillian smirked at him slyly.

"Bear skin rug?" she asked as Xehanort chuckled.

"However did you guess?" he asked dryly. Mor'du shook off the Guardian Armor, the armor vanishing and returning to its master. A dark aura started to rise from Mor'du again as he rose up onto his haunches.

"Let's finish this!" Xehanort said, raising his hand and conjuring an Ethereal Blade.

"Let's go!" Lillian replied before she and Xehanort leapt at Mor'du, Merida knocking three arrows into her bow and taking aim at the bear, letting loose all three arrows that flew between Lillian and Xehanort, the arrows exploding on impacting the bear, disorienting it as Lillian leapt straight into her Afterimage Command Style and Xehanort started unleashing a series of quick strikes with both Keyblade and Ethereal Blade. Mor'du was unable to react as the two Keyblade Wielders and Merida peppered him with attacks from all directions. Mor'du finally let out a roar that launched the two Keyblade wielders back only for them to slide back and stand on either side of Merida.

"Begone!" Xehanort roared, conjuring a veritable wall of Ethereal Blades in the air behind him. Lillian took aim with her flintlock and Merida knocked back another three arrows. They then all let fly with a single massive shot that resulted in a pillar of white-blue light erupting from the center of the ring of menhir (End Battle Music). When the light faded, Mor'du had collapsed onto his belly, his fur turning an old grey and white before turning gold and black and finally crumbling into a mound of gold and black sands, before the sands themselves faded away.

"A Displaced? Fascinating." Xehanort said as he looked at the spot where Mor'du faded.

"It appeared around the time my sister was here, according to Merida." Lillian said as the princess approached.

"Aye, strange lady." Merida said as Xehanort and Lillian turned towards her.

"Thanks for the help, Merida." Lillian said as Merida rested her bow on her shoulder.

"Aye, not a problem. But we better take a look around for more of the little beasts." Merida said as Xehanort gave a nod.

"Good idea, I'll join you in a moment." Xehanort said, Merida giving a nod and hurrying to join her fellow highlanders as they went about searching for more of the Displaced. Xehanort quietly pulled back his hood.

"Have you seen your sister lately, Lillian?" Xehanort asked as Lillian shrugged, turning towards him.

"Not lately. I wonder if she-PFFT!" Lillian spluttered, doubling over and covering her mouth, shaking with laughter at the sight of Xehanort's bald head. Xehanort smiled and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as Lillian collapsed onto one knee.

"What-the-…what the bloody 'ell mate! You look like a round shot with eyes!" Lillian cackled, dropping back into her pirate accent. Xehanort merely crossed his arms over his chest, smiling at her while running his tongue over his teeth, quietly and patiently waiting for her to recover.

"Hmm, I wonder if I could hit your ship from here." He pondered, instantly making her gasp, leaping to her feet with a serious expression.

"Belay that mate." She warned in a low voice.

"Now that I have your attention, perhaps we might get back on the subject." Xehanort said as Lillian cleared her throat.

"I've not seen her sense visiting one of the other worlds recently. I'm really worried that…maybe she might be lost to us." Lillian said, back in her normal accent as Xehanort sighed in apparent disappointment.

"Are you prepared to do what must be done then? Could you raise your blade against her? To kill her?" Xehanort asked as Lillian glanced away, hesitant in her expressions.

"I…I dunno." She replied as Xehanort gave her a grim look.

"I understand your reluctance. It's hard to consider the thought of someone you've cared so deeply for being felled by your own blade. Especially when they're blood." Xehanort said as Lillian gave a nod.

"Especially when." She muttered. Xehanort then glanced away towards one of the paths cutting through the forest.

"I'm going to check on something real quick. Give you some time to think things over. Make no mistake though. At the end of the day, I hope Millicent can see her error and return to you. I'd rather not see the two of you broken apart." He said before turning and starting to walk away down the path, pulling his hood over his head as he did. A small dark smile appeared on his face as he walked away. Lillian now stood alone within the ring of menhir, a worried look on her face.

"You hear how he talks about me now." A familiar voice said from nearby. Lillian spun around to see Millicent, her hood over her head, and her eyes a now more recognizable shade of yellow, standing just within the shadows of the forest.

"Milly…" Lillian said as "Millicent" let out a sigh.

"Isn't it obvious to you yet that he means to betray you? To betray us?" "Millicent" asked as Lillian glanced towards the path Xehanort had taken, the Keyblade Master having disappeared down the path.

"Betray us in what way? I've never seen Xehanort's future. I have only your word that he'll fall to the Darkness. And lately, your word has been very suspect. Besides he's still very much a good friend." Lillian said as "Millicent" sighed in frustration again (Music cue: Mother Knows Best (Reprise) – Tangled).

"A friend? Please, Lilly, he's demented! This is why you never should have left! Dear, this whole screen that he's invented Just proves he's too dangerous to be left alive! Why should you trust him, come on now, really? Think about it? You think that he's a friend?!" Millicent said as Lillian scowled sadly at her.

"_Don't be silly, Come with Sissy. Milly…"_ Millicent sang, her arms open and outstretched but Lillian took a step back.

"No!" she snapped, causing Millicent's eyes to widen in surprise for a moment.

"No? Oh, I see how it is." Millicent said with a sneer down her nose at Lillian.

"_Lillian knows best!  
Lillian's so mature now,  
such a clever grownup miss!"_

Millicent sang condescendingly, reaching for something hidden beneath her coat. She then turned towards Lillian and sang…

"_Lillian knows best!  
Fine, if you're so sure now,  
go ahead, then give him __this__! Ha!"_

Millicent then threw a familiar book to Lillian who caught it. Lillian looked and saw it was Millicent's Master's Tome. Millicent then continued, singing…

"_This__ is why he's here!  
Don't let him deceive you!  
Give it to him, watch, you'll see!"_

Lillian held the book close to her chest, looking at Millicent in surprise and disbelief as she circled around her, singing…

"_Trust me, my dear!  
That's how fast he'll betray you!"  
I won't say, I told you so!"_

Millicent then spun towards her angrily as she continued to circle back around towards the forest.

"_No, Lillian knows best!  
So if he's such a good friend,  
go and put him to the test!"_

Lillian watched, almost teary eyed as Millicent started to back away towards the forest, singing…

"_If he's lying,  
don't come crying!  
Milly knows best!"_

At that, Millicent angrily turned towards the forest, disappearing into its shadows, leaving Lillian clutching the book in her arms. She looked down at the book curiously, opening it and quietly flipping through a few pages, but nothing in it showed anything about the Tempest. None of the information inside made any sense to her. Only one page seemed to stand out to her, a page with what appeared to be two identical Keyblades crossed in an X. The blades had non-descript silver shafts with yellow guards and brown/black grips, and a silver tooth with the cutting of what looked to be a three-pointed crown. These two blades seemed to have a longer pointed blade emerging from between them. An annotation beneath it read…

"The Ex-blade?" she read aloud softly, confused by its meaning. She then heard approaching footsteps and saw Xehanort approaching.

"Nothing up the road. Merida and her friends have headed back towards their home and-…what've you got there?" he asked as she closed the book, looking at its cover for a moment.

"I…think Milly may have left something inside that bear." Lillian said as she turned towards Xehanort, who noticed the book right off.

"Oh, did she?" he asked. Lillian looked at the tome hesitantly, remembering Millicent's warnings, but she also noticed her obvious falling to Darkness and wondered if these warnings weren't simply the ravings of a lunatic. She finally took a breath.

"I understand that there's been some dispute between you and my sister. What about?" Lillian asked, curiously. Xehanort gave a casual shrug.

"My research. She wouldn't let me read any of the books in her private library. She's even hidden them from me out of spite. I don't understand why she would want to do this." Xehanort replied as Lillian looked at the book again.

"And your research is on the Keyblade War, correct?" She asked, Xehanort giving a nod in response.

"That's right." He replied.

"Then…maybe this will help. I skimmed through it but found nothing regarding the Tempest. But then it was just a quick peek. Maybe a Master like you or Master Yen Sid could make sense of what's in here." Lillian said as she held out the book for Xehanort to take. Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow but then smiled gently at her.

"I will return this when I am finished. At the least, I will leave it with Master Yen Sid to return to you, and hopefully to Millicent should she see the error of her ways." Xehanort said as he took the book, tucking it under his arm. Lillian gave an appreciative nod.

"Thank you. I do have one question. In your own journeys, have you seen Eraqus? Is he alright?" Lillian asked as Xehanort smiled and gave a nod.

"Last I saw him, he was headed in his own direction. Oh, he found Master Ory by the way. Last I heard he was resting up in Disneylahn. But one thing Eraqus mentioned was concerning. It seems that the Traveler and Ultimecia are targeting Dandelions." Xehanort said as Lillian's eyes widened in alarm.

"The Dandelions! So that's their game." She muttered.

"Indeed. According to Eraqus, there is one in Radiant Garden. I need to investigate something more pressing right now, so could I convince you to investigate it for me?" Xehanort asked as Lillian gave a nod.

"Of course, say no more." She said as Xehanort smiled at her appreciatively.

"Good. Thank you." He replied as they both pulled their hoods up over their heads.

"Be careful out there, Xehanort. We've got our trust in you to help us sort things out. Don't betray that trust." She said, pleadingly. Xehanort gave a humble bow.

"I would never." He replied as Lillian smiled, reassured of his integrity, before turning and walking back towards the shore where her dory awaited her. At the same time, Xehanort turned away and smiled at the tome in his hands.

"Knowledge for knowledge." Xehanort said, raising his hand to conjure a stylized letter X that floated in his hand for a moment before disappearing. He then smiled and summoned his armor and glider before taking to the stars.

…

Meanwhile, back in Radiant Garden, on the empty mesa outside of the city, the Traveler arrived in a Corridor of Darkness, looking around curiously. Finally, after a moment, he spotted what he was looking for. On one of the rocks was a shimmering stylized letter X. The Traveler picked up the rock, revealing the white card with the Mark of Mastery insignia on it that Master Ory had created.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Master Xehanort." The Traveler said as he touched the card, a brief flash of light appearing from within his darkened hood before the card evaporated into dust in his hand. The Traveler chuckled to himself before looking towards the city.

"That leaves only one piece to remove from the board, and another to take its place." The Traveler said before vanishing in a Corridor of Darkness.

* * *

**End Chapter 25**

The Song above was a slightly reworked version of "Mother Knows Best (Reprise)" from Disney's Tangled.

And so concludes the Brave world. The Sword in the Stone World is also concluded as well at this point. There were a couple of things I had wanted to do but had to cut due to the pacing of the story. The first was a battle between Madam Mim and Xehanort in the Sword in the Stone World. The other was an encounter between Xehanort and a younger Maleficent (the Angelina Jolee version). Both were cut due to pacing.


	26. The Wonderful World of Color

"What in the-…" Eraqus said, confused, as he looked himself over. He had arrived within Timeless River and had instantly found the world's strange monochromatic nature a bit startling.

"What a strange world." He mumbled, looking around. He had arrived at quiet waterway by the river. As he looked around, he noticed an unusually large anthropomorphic cat man in overalls and a single large hat on his head, stomping towards him.

"Hey, you!" the large cat called as he approached.

"Me?" Eraqus asked as the cat stopped in front of him.

"Have you seen a little feller around here? About yea high with big ears?" the cat asked, holding his hand down towards the ground, indicating a rather short individual compared to the two of them, as Eraqus scratched his head.

"Only person I know fits that description would be…Oswald?" Eraqus asked but the cat stepped back in alarm.

"What? No, not his majesty! I'm talking about that brother of his, the one moonlighting as my cabin boy." The cat replied as Eraqus smiled.

"Oh, you mean Mickey." Eraqus said but the cat looked at him in amusement.

"Mickey? BAHAHAHAHA! Who's the Silly Symphony that gave him that name? No-no-no, I'm talking about Mortimer." The cat replied as Eraqus shrugged.

"Well it just so happens I'm looking for Oswald's brother as well. Maybe we'd be better off looking together." Eraqus suggested as the cat pondered a moment but then shook his head.

"No can do. I need to find him toot-de-sweet. You go look that way, and I'll go look this way." The cat said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Alright then. Suit yourself." He said, turning and starting to walk away.

"Strange fellow." Eraqus said to himself as they started walking off in opposite directions. Eraqus soon arrived in an area near a small pier where he found an anthropomorphic duck and dog standing near a tree. On the ground around them were an assortment of different items including knives, swords, staffs, wands, axes, and other weapons, all of cartoonish design and proportions. The Duck was struggling to pull back a suction cup arrow in a bow, trying to aim at a tin can atop a wooden box.

"You can do it Donald!" the dog cheered. The duck kept trying to pull back but finally lost his grip on the arrow, the arrow flying straight towards Eraqus who quickly batted it away with his Keyblade.

"Whoops!" the dog gasped, covering his mouth while the duck tried to hide the bow behind his back. Eraqus calmly picked up the arrow, twirling it in his hand as he approached.

"I'm guessing you're one of those shoot first, ask questions later kind of folks, aren't ya?" he asked but the duck seemed alarmed by this suggestion.

"WAK?! Oh-no! It was an accident!" the duck quacked as the dog gave a nod.

"Yeah, he didn't mean to, mister uh…" the dog said, scratching his head.

"Eraqus, and you can relax, I was just teasing. But do be more careful next time." Eraqus said, handing the arrow back to the duck who put the arrow back into its quiver.

"Sorry again." Donald said as Eraqus chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. Do you mind my asking what you were doing?" Eraqus asked, looking at the assortment of weapons.

"Well, we thought it might be a good idea to learn somethin' we can use to protect our world from bad guys." The dog explained. Eraqus arched an eyebrow at this.

"Worlds? You mean you know of the other worlds?" Eraqus asked as Donald and the dog both nodded.

"Yeah. The King told us." The dog replied.

"Was he not supposed to?" Donald asked as Eraqus scratched the back of his head.

"Not really, so you need to keep it a secret, okay?" Eraqus said, earning a nod from the dog but getting a suspicious look from Donald.

"Wak! Wait a minute, how do you know about other worlds?" Donald asked as Eraqus stepped back slightly.

"Because I'm from another world." Eraqus replied as the dog noticed his Keyblade.

"Hey look, he's got one of those big keys too." The dog said, pointing to Eraqus's Keyblade. Eraqus laughed.

"That's right. I'm one of Oswald's classmates. Oh, pardon me, King Oswald." Eraqus corrected.

"Classmates? Just like that nice lady that was here earlier?" the dog asked.

"Lillian?" Donald asked as Eraqus smiled.

"That's right. Lillian's my fiancée and fellow classmate. I'm actually here on official business from Master Yen Sid, Oswald's and my teacher. I'm here to retrieve Mickey and bring him to Disneylahn to begin his training." Eraqus explained as Donald and the dog looked at each other.

"Wak! The Prince?!" Donald asked.

"We better take ya to him right away!" the dog said as Eraqus smiled appreciatively at them.

"You know where he is?" he asked.

"Sure do." Donald replied.

"Thanks, I'd appreciate it. So lead the way-…err…what are your names?" Eraqus asked. Donald and the dog both blinked in surprise.

"Oh, well we better introduce ourselves then." The dog said as Donald raised his hand.

"Donald Duck!" Donald said as Eraqus knelt down and shook his hand.

"And I'm Dippy Dawg." The dog introduced, Eraqus shaking his hand as well.

"And I'm Eraqus, but you knew that already." Eraqus said with a smile, standing up.

"Come on, we'll take you to the Prince." Donald said as he and Dippy started heading towards a path leading up the hill. Soon they reached the top of the hill, where Eraqus saw something that made him blink in surprise.

"What is that?" he asked, pointing to a large shimmering orb of light on a few wooden spokes.

"That's the Cornerstone of Light. It protects our world from the Darkness." Dippy explained as Eraqus smiled.

"No wonder it's so bright here." He muttered.

"Did you say something?" Donald asked, curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. So where's the Prince?" Eraqus asked as Donald and Dippy looked around.

"He was right here a moment ago." Dippy replied. Eraqus looked around too before spotting a set of round ears atop a rocky hill nearby.

"I think I've found him." Eraqus said as he headed towards the ears, leaving Donald and Dippy behind. As Eraqus approached, he saw Mickey sitting on the hill, looking at the Keyblade in his hand curiously.

"It doesn't bite, if that's what you're worried about." Eraqus said, startling Mickey who leapt to his feet.

"Whoa! Who are you?" Mickey asked, Eraqus raising his hands, trying to calm down the Prince.

"Take it easy, I'm a friend of Oswald's. I'm Eraqus." Eraqus introduced as Mickey smiled, relaxing.

"Oh, you must be Lillian's fiancé." Mickey said as Eraqus smiled and nodded.

"That's right. Master Yen Sid sent me. He says its time to begin your training to become a Keyblade Master." Eraqus said as Mickey looked at him eagerly.

"Really? Oh boy! But, wait, I can't go. I gotta stay and protect my world." Mickey said worriedly.

"I know you're reluctant to leave, but right now, it would be best if we left. Once you're a Master, you can come back and protect your people." Eraqus said as Mickey looked away with a look of worry.

"I dunno if I can." Mickey replied.

"Then…at least come and meet Master Yen Sid, visit Disneylahn, and talk with him about this. I know he would be open to some kind of an agreement. He's very understanding." Eraqus said as Mickey thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Okay then. I just need to leave someone in charge while I'm away. Oswald left me in charge so I'm gonna need someone else to keep an eye on things here." Mickey said as Eraqus thought for a moment.

"Is there anyone in particular you have in mind?" Eraqus asked as Mickey nodded but with a tint of dark grey in his cheeks.

"Well, there's only one person. My gal Minnie." Mickey said as Eraqus smiled.

"Then let's go find her and let her know." Eraqus said as they started to descend down the hill. As they approached the Cornerstone of Light, Eraqus spotted Pete approaching from the wharf.

"Ah-ha! There you are bucko! I've been lookin' all over for ya! We've got work to do!" Pete called as he approached. Mickey looked at Eraqus worriedly for a moment. Eraqus, knowing what he was thinking, shook his head.

"Sorry Pete, but I can't work on your boat anymore." Mickey said, startling Pete.

"What?! You're quittin' on me?! What for?!" Pete asked in disbelief.

"I gotta go join Oswald so I can better protect our world." Mickey replied but Pete scowled at him.

"No ya don't. It's not like you'll ever be King. You'd just be wasting your time, fillin' your head with all that useless mumbo-jumbo. Instead you should be working on becoming big and strong, like me." Pete argued.

"But he is the King." Dippy said as he and Donald approached.

"What? No he ain't!" Pete argued. Now Eraqus was interested.

"Hold on, what do you mean Dippy?" Eraqus asked.

"The Prince is technically the King. They were both crowned the co-rulers." Dippy answered.

"The Brother Kings of Timeless River." Donald added.

"So that makes Mickey a fully-fledged King?" Eraqus asked as Mickey nodded.

"Who's this Mickey-Rickey you keep mentioning? This here's Prince Mortimer! And he ain't never gonna be a King." Pete argued. Donald and Dippy stepped up to flank Mickey, surprising the young King.

"He IS the King!" Donald argued.

"Yeah! You just want him to stay behind and be your cabin boy!" Dippy added.

"I don't believe this! You two brain-dead weirdos would follow this pipsqueak?!" Pete asked. That made Mickey narrow his eyes.

"That's enough Pete! Say what you want about me, but don't insult my friends!" Mickey warned, summoning his Keyblade.

"Oh, and whatcha gonna do about it?" Pete asked. Mickey scowled a little before stepping back, lowering his Keyblade. Pete let out a smug "hmph" and crossed his arms.

"I thought so. Now come on before I-…" Pete said before they heard a scream. They all turned to see a female Mouse come running towards them from the path to the Waterfront (Battle Music Cue: Old Friends, Old Rivals – KH2 Remix). She wore a small hat with a flower sticking out of it. She also wore a black dress with frilly white skirt and wore white heels. Behind her though was a small horde of Displaced.

"Minnie!" Mickey exclaimed, recognizing the approaching mouse (A/N: Minnie appears the way she did in Steamboat Willie).

"Displaced!" Eraqus exclaimed as he summoned his Keyblade and leapt in with Mickey to defend against the approaching horde.

"Everyone get somewhere safe!" Mickey yelled as Minnie clambered onto the top of the Cornerstone.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Pete screamed as he ran away towards the wharf. Donald and Dippy though both looked at each other and hurried back towards the pier.

"Hang on your majesty! We'll be back!" Dippy said as Mickey and Eraqus started fighting off the Displaced. They were all of the Second, Minute, and Hour type Displaced but they seemed to keep coming.

"Where are they coming from?" Mickey asked.

"I wish I knew!" Eraqus replied, dropping down with his Keyblade to one side, petals of pink energy appearing around him before he vanished, reappearing a few feet directly ahead and his Keyblade out to the side. All of the Displaced between where he had been standing and had reappeared suddenly exploded in showers of sand, having been felled by his Zantetzukan attack. Mickey however was having a harder time of holding off the Displaced, his inexperience showing.

"Mickey! You can do it!" Minnie cheered from atop the Cornerstone. Eraqus leapt back towards the Cornerstone as the Displaced started to surround them.

"Mickey, you got any tricks up your sleeves?!" Eraqus asked. Suddenly a metal hubcap came flying in and ricocheted off one of the Displaced, destroying it before it flew back towards its source.

"We're here your majesty!" Dippy exclaimed as he caught the hubcap, holding it like a shield while Donald came running in with a wooden stick.

"We'll help you out!" Donald added, throwing a fireball at the Displaced from his stick as they managed to slip through the Displaced and join Eraqus and Mickey in the center.

"No! You guys are gonna get hurt! Runaway now while you still can!" Mickey exclaimed but neither one of them budged.

"We're not gonna abandon you, your majesty!" Dippy argued.

"We'll do all we can to help you!" Donald added. Eraqus smiled at the trio for a moment.

"The more the merrier!" Eraqus said as they looked at the Displaced around them.

"But what do we do?" Dippy asked.

"I don't think my magic will be enough!" Mickey said. Eraqus then saw one of the Day type Displaced approaching, floating over the rest of the horde, headed straight towards them.

"Watch out!" Eraqus yelled, leaping back just as the Day swung at them, the force of the blow knocking all four of them back, but it knocked Mickey into the Cornerstone, his Keyblade accidently striking the Cornerstone. When it did, it caused a loud tolling sound coupled with a rainbow colored shockwave that pierced through the monochrome world and obliterated a large swath of the Displaced but not all of them.

"Did you see that?" Dippy asked.

"Yeah!" Donald replied as Mickey stood up.

"Mickey! The Cornerstone! Point your Keyblade at it!" Eraqus said as they felt the ground starting to quake from an approaching horde of Displaced. Mickey gave a nod and turned towards the Cornerstone, pointing his Keyblade at it and concentrating (A/N: For an Ambience Cue, I recommend the Kingdom Hearts III Union-χ track). A ring of light formed around the tip before firing another beam of light into the Cornerstone. The moment the beam struck the Cornerstone, the ground began to shake, the Cornerstone starting to shimmer and shine, sending out small orbs of color in all directions. The Displaced suddenly stopped in their tracks, turned, and started running away. Minnie quickly leapt off the Cornerstone to stand next to the others.

Mickey, Donald, Dippy, Minnie, and Eraqus looked around in worry and alarm as the Cornerstone shined ever brighter until finally it released a massive shockwave of rainbow colored light that obliterated the Displaced. They watched with awe as the monochrome world around it vanished, the light from the Cornerstone replacing the grey hills with lush greens, the dirt paths with sandy browns, the dark grey river waters a vibrant blue, and the sky above a beautiful cyan blue. The whole world, as far as the eye could see, had become a lively and vibrantly colorful world. They looked at each other and saw that they had all gotten their own coloration as well, even some of their clothes had changed. Mickey now wore red shorts with two yellow buttons (one of them disguising his armor piece), and two yellow shoes. Minnie now wore a red dress with white polka-dots and yellow heeled shoes with a red bow between her ears. Donald now wore a blue sailor's suit and hat and Dippy now wore an orange turtleneck with yellow vest, blue trousers, brown shoes, and a green hat (A/N: Their classic Disney outfits. Also End Music).

"Our world!" Dippy exclaimed.

"It's in color!" Minnie added.

"I'm sorry, I'll try and put it back!" Mickey said but Minnie stopped him.

"No, don't. It's wonderful world of color. The people will thank you for this, I know they will." Minnie said, Donald and Dippy both nodding. Eraqus stood off to the side, looking around for any sign of the displaced but saw none of them.

"Ya think so?" Mickey asked as Minnie nodded.

"I definitely think so." She said, kissing him on the cheek. Mickey turned a bright shade of red for the first time in his life in response. Donald and Dippy both laughed in amusement at the young King's reaction.

"I wish I could stay though. But I gotta go start training to become a Keyblade Master now." Mickey said as Minnie frowned a little but her smile soon returned.

"Well then, we'll do all we can to make sure everything runs smoothly until you return." Minnie said as Donald and Dippy both nodded in agreement.

"You can count on us, ma'am." Dippy said with a salute. Mickey then turned towards them with a smile.

"Donald, Dippy, you both were willing to risk your lives to help protect mine. I can't thank you fellas enough. You've both been my best friends for as long as I can remember. So since I am one of the Kings, maybe there's something I can do for ya." Mickey said, summoning his Keyblade again and turning towards Donald.

"Donald Duck, your skill in using magic would make you a great wizard. So I hereby name you the Royal Magician." Mickey said, tapping his Keyblade on Donald's shoulders. Donald then scratched his head.

"But I don't know any magic except for that fire spell I used." Donald replied but Eraqus smiled and approached.

"Don't worry about that, Donald. Master Yen Sid can send you some magic books to help you learn some more spells like Blizzard, Thunder, Reflect, Zero-Gravity, stuff like that. You'll be a skilled Magician in no time." Eraqus said as Donald smiled and looked at the stick in his hand excitedly. Mickey then looked towards Dippy.

"Dippy Dawg, your bravery and skill with that hubcap would make you the perfect Captain of the Guard." Mickey said as Dippy removed his hat, holding it over his heart.

"Does that mean I get some kinda fancy title?" Dippy asked as Mickey smiled.

"Sure, if you want." He replied as Dippy thought for a moment.

"Hmm, anybody got any suggestions?" Dippy asked. Everyone looked thoughtful for a moment.

"We should be careful to pick a good one, not some goofy name." Eraqus said but Dippy smiled at him.

"But Goofy names are fun." Dippy said with a laugh, even letting out a unique "ahyuck." Eraqus smiled and chuckled.

"Then what about plain old Goofy?" Eraqus asked. Dippy laughed and gave a nod.

"Yeah, that sounds kinda fun." He replied, turning towards the King.

"I'd like that to be my name then if that's okay." Dippy said as Mickey smiled and nodded.

"Alright then. I hereby name you Goofy, the Captain of the Royal Guard!" Mickey said, knighting him with his Keyblade. Goofy let out another laugh with another "ahyuck."

"Now that that's all settled, I hate to be a bother but Master Yen Sid is expecting us." Eraqus said as Mickey gave a nod.

"Right. Don't worry, I'll be back real soon!" Mickey said as the other three nodded.

"We'll take good care of Timeless River while you're gone, your majesty." Goofy said, Donald nodding in agreement. Minnie though seemed thoughtful.

"Something wrong Minnie?" Mickey asked.

"I was just thinking, that maybe now that our world has color, it should have a new name to go with it." Minnie said as the other three nodded.

"Why that's easy. We're building a castle based on Disneylahn, so what about Disney Castle?" Mickey asked as the others nodded.

"Disney Castle, I like it!" Goofy said as Donald nodded.

"And Disney Town for the part outside of the castle." Donald added as they looked towards the blue sky overhead (A/N: This is where the world logo would appear and then switch from Timeless River to Disney Town if this were an actual KH game).

"Farewell Timeless River, and hello Disney Town!" Mickey declared as the world started to fade to black, the chapter coming to a close. Everyone in the reading room of Disneylahn were smiling towards the Brother Kings as well as Donald and Goofy. All four of them were smiling nostalgically.

"I still remember that like it was yesterday." Mickey said with a smile.

"Ya know I still have that ol' hubcap?" Goofy asked as Donald nodded.

"And I still have the stick." Donald added.

"It's amazing. Master Eraqus and Master Lillian both had profound effects on your worlds. How come you never told us about this? Master Eraqus didn't mention any of it." Ven said as Mickey lowered his head slightly in sadness.

"Master Eraqus asked us not to say anything. The whole incident with the Displaced wasn't to be discussed except in private." Mickey replied.

"I think Master Eraqus would've told us all in time…if he were still alive." Terra said.

"I agree. But let's move on, I have a feeling we're nearing the end of the tale." Aqua said, earning nods of agreement from everyone else. Aqua then raised her hand towards the book and began the next chapter, showing Eraqus and Mickey riding together on Eraqus's Glider as Lillian's narration beginning…

"_This rare moment of Light within the Darkness, was but a breath before the plunge. The impact that Master Ory's passing had made upon our dear Master would forever scar him. I had initially wanted to avoid mentioning this out of respect for my Master's feelings. I didn't want to drudge it up, but soon I realized it would be unforgivable to fail in showing this, his true nature." _Lillian's narration said as Eraqus and Mickey faded out to show an silhouetted image of Master Yen Sid, sitting in a darkened room, his head bowed as he sat on the edge of his bed. Although his image was silhouetted, they could see a small twinkle of light fall from his face to the ground.

"_I had never before questioned Master Yen Sid's kindness. For as long as I and my sister had known him, he'd hid his true feelings behind a veil of laughter and merriment…but now the veil had fallen. It was this vision that to this day makes my heart weep for him. To show such kindness throughout his life and then to suffer such tragedy…and to now know he will suffer it again, and again, and again…it's almost too much for me to bear…How I envy Eraqus's being there for him…"_

* * *

**End Chapter 26**

And this chapter concludes the Timeless River/Disney Town chapters.

Goofy's name, Dippy Dawg, was indeed his original name when he first appeared in 1932 and stayed that way for two years before eventually getting the name Goofy in 1934.

Things are going to start getting serious now in these next few chapters as we begin the "Endgame" parts of the story. I'd also recommend having some tissues handy for the next chapter. Sufficed to say, I needed them while writing it.


	27. A Master's True Test

Xehanort arrived at Disneylahn castle, walking in through the doors to the throne room. Millicent's tome was hidden beneath his coat as he walked in, his hands behind his back as per usual. The throne room was empty save for Oswald and the two sleeping Dandelions.

"Oswald! Where's the-…" Xehanort said but Oswald quickly shushed him.

"They're sleeping." He whispered back. Xehanort noticed the two sleeping youths and arched a curious eyebrow.

"I heard about Ory having one apprentice, but two?" he asked softly. Oswald looked away sadly.

"Master Ory…he's…gone." Oswald said as Xehanort looked at him skeptically.

"Gone? What do you mean?" he asked.

"Killed, by one of the bad guys. Eraqus called him the Traveler." Oswald replied. Xehanort glanced away in mixed surprise and suspicion.

"I see. That is indeed bad news. What of Master Yen Sid? Where's he?" Xehanort asked. Oswald turned and looked out the windows towards one of the towers outside, one they knew was Yen Sid's private chambers.

"Ever since Master Ory died, he's not been in good shape." Oswald replied as Xehanort looked up at the tower but said nothing.

"That doesn't sound like Master Yen Sid." Another voice said. They both turned to see Eraqus arriving with Mickey at his side. Eraqus seemed worried.

"Has he said anything?" Xehanort asked but Oswald shook his head sadly and worriedly.

"I don't like this. We better check on him." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave a nod.

"Right." He said as he and Xehanort started for the door out of the throne room.

…

(A/N: I find it really works to have an instrumental version of Mary Poppins' "Feed the Birds" playing in the background for this scene. Also have the sung version standing by too, fair warning).

A few minutes later, the two reached the door to Yen Sid's room, the door standing slightly ajar. They pushed the door open to find Master Yen Sid sitting on the edge of his bed, holding a small wooden pidgin in his hand. Carved on the bird's wing was Ory's name. It was the keychain to Ory's Keyblade. His face was unreadable in the dim light.

"Master?" Eraqus asked as he stepped into the room, Xehanort closing it behind them. Yen Sid remained silent for a moment, gently stroking the wooden bird.

"Are…you alright?" Eraqus asked before Xehanort nudged him, motioning towards something on the bed. On the bed was an old framed portrait of Yen Sid and a young preteen youth riding on his shoulders. The youth had scraggly black hair and had the Two-Pence Keyblade in hand over his head. It was a young Master Ory. Master Yen Sid then took a deep breath.

"When a Master takes on an Apprentice, they usually take them on as youths, as children. It requires a form of love that not everyone possesses, and if they do, they don't realize that they even possess that love until the object of that love…is taken from them." Yen Sid said softly before looking at them. That's when they could see his cheeks were wet from his own tears. He had the look of a broken man. Eraqus and Xehanort both looked at him pityingly. He quietly stood up and with a wave of his hand, teleported the three of them to one of the rooms outside the throne room. On one wall, opposite the windows, there was what appeared to be a hand painted mural depicting a smiling Yen Sid but surrounding him were six individuals: Ory, Millicent, Lillian, Xehanort, Eraqus, and Oswald. Save for Oswald, who hadn't physically changed, were depicted in their preteen years, even though they were all much older now.

"It is a father's love. Or a mother's love, whatever the case may be. But it is a love nonetheless. The lines blur between Master and Apprentice versus Father and Son. But for me there has been no distinction. A Master trains their Apprentice to carry on their own legacy, much like a Father raises his son to carry on their legacy as well." Yen Sid explained, sadness and grief in his voice as he stepped forward, and ran a hand over Ory's image in the mural, That's when Eraqus and Xehanort finally understood the significance of this mural. They had passed this mural before on countless occasions but hadn't considered it as anything more than something akin to a class portrait or something similar before. To Yen Sid, this mural was akin to a family portrait.

"In my heart, I've known you were all my apprentices, but to me, each of you have been like my own children. Sons. Daughters. Each of you have made me so proud, even if you strayed one way or another." Yen Sid said softly.

"I wish we'd known Master Ory more. We rarely saw him around." Eraqus said as Yen Sid smiled sadly at him.

"Oh he had a heart of gold. He came from nothing, yet gave everything. He was like all of you. Alone in the worlds, nowhere to call home, no one to call family. Yet in spite of hardship, he bore it all with a smile. He was my first Apprentice. He didn't fool me when he asked to seek out the Dandelions. He claimed he wanted to see the worlds, but he earnestly searched for others like him. To some of us, we wonder why the Keyblade choses us. For him, I never had to guess. His heart was of the light, a radiant one. It wasn't one of the precious seven lights, but damn close enough." Yen Sid said, looking at the wooden bird in his hand. Eraqus and Xehanort exchanged looks again as they finally realized Yen Sid's grief. Yen Sid then turned back towards the mural.

"I still remember how I first found him, in that foggy world long ago…" Yen Sid said as the wooden bird glowed a little before it magically came to life, flying towards and into the mural, the mural itself starting to animate, becoming shrouded in fog for a moment before depicting a foggy street with cobblestone roads and tall buildings made of marble. A tall clocktower stood in the distance as a hooded Yen Sid stood, looking towards the steps of an old cathedral where a young boy in rags and a battered cap walked towards the steps with large bags made of a cheap cloth in hand (Music Cue: Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag) – Mary Poppins).

"_Early each day on the streets long ago,  
the little young bird feeder comes.  
In his own special way to the people he called,  
'Come, buy my bags full of crumbs.'"_

Yen Sid sang softly as the animation depicted people passing the young Ory by as Ory called out to them, occasionally feeding the flock of birds that landed around him…

"_Come feed the little birds,  
show them you care,  
and you'll be glad if you do.  
The young ones are hungry,  
the nests are so bare.  
All it takes is tuppence from you."_

Yen Sid smiled at the image and memory as he sang, a tear forming in his eye…

"_Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,  
tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.  
Feed the birds,' that's what he cried,  
while overhead, his birds filled the skies."_

Yen Sid then looked up at a mural above his that depicted five individuals in animal masks, holding Keyblades and smiling…

"_All around the cathedral, the saints and apostles,  
looked down as he sold his wares.  
Although you can't see it,  
you know they are smiling,  
each time someone showed that he cared."_

Yen Sid sang softly, smiling sadly yet proudly at the mural. Eraqus and Xehanort both looked on in sympathy as he sang…

"_Though his words were simple and few,  
listen, listen, he's calling to you.  
'Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,  
tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.'"_

Yen Sid sang as the mural returned to normal. He then stepped back as the wooden bird returned to his hand and fell still.

"No parent should have to bury their child." He whispered to the bird before grief hit hard again and he collapsed to one knee, his hand over his eyes and body shaking as he openly wept for the fallen Keyblade Master. Eraqus quietly knelt down next to him, placing a comforting hand on his back. Xehanort quietly stood off to the side, a stoic and emotionless gaze on his face. He quietly wondered if he had a hand in Ory's death but would never know for sure. Eraqus quietly picked up the wooden bird, fallen from Yen Sid's hand in his grief, and carefully placed it in the Master's hand. Eraqus smiled comfortingly at his Master and sang…

"_Though his words were simple and few,  
listen, listen, he's calling to you.  
'Feed the birds, tuppence a bag  
tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.'"_

Yen Sid looked at Eraqus with an increasingly warm smile before embracing the young apprentice in a warm and loving hug. Xehanort quietly excused himself from the room, giving them time alone. Finally the two separated and rose to their feet.

"Are you going to be alright, Master?" Eraqus asked but Yen Sid sighed, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"No. I won't. No one truly recovers from something like this. But can I still function as a Master? Yes, that I can do." Yen Sid said, closing his robe so all that could be seen was just the robe. Eraqus could see that beneath the sad expression was still the gentle and caring person he'd known since his childhood.

"If you need me to do anything-…" Eraqus said but Yen Sid interrupted him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine. The time for tears must be set aside for now. We must focus on saving Millicent now. I know she can be saved. But first, we need to make sure Ory's life's work is not in vain. Hurry to Radiant Garden and make sure the Dandelion there is protected." Yen Sid said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Yes, Master." He replied before turning and starting for the door. But about halfway to the door he paused, turned and smiled back at Yen Sid.

"I hope one day, I get the opportunity to feel the same kind of love towards my own apprentices as you have yours." Eraqus said as Yen Sid smiled warmly back at him but didn't reply, watching as Eraqus turned and hurried out the door. Yen Sid took one last sad glance at the mural before mustering his courage and headed out into the throne room where Xehanort, Oswald, and Mickey waited.

"Master." Xehanort greeted as Yen Sid walked out and sat down in the center throne. He looked at Xehanort for a moment with a sad expression.

"You said to Eraqus and Lillian, something profound that I had idly dismissed at first. But now, I think I understand it." Yen Sid said as Xehanort looked at him, confused.

"Did I?" he asked. Yen Sid gave a nod.

"That our true tests await beyond our Mark of Mastery Exams. You didn't believe I'd faced a true test before…fact is, I believe you are correct. Now I wonder to myself, if I've passed, or if the loss of Ory was a result of my failure." Yen Sid said Xehanort shook his head.

"Don't think like that, Master." Xehanort said as Yen Sid gave a light shrug.

"You're right. I shouldn't. We should first be welcoming our newest Apprentice amongst us. Welcome Mickey. I imagine you're full of questions." Yen Sid said, looking to Mickey who gave a nod.

"Yes sir." Mickey said as Yen Sid smiled down at him.

"And I will answer as many as I can and more. For now, we need to focus on more pressing matters. I had you brought here as a precautionary measure. You see, we are currently under threat by an unknown Dark Force. They're presently targeting next generation Keyblade Wielders, like yourself…at least that seems to be their plan." Yen Sid said, looking at the two sleeping children next to him. Mickey gave a sad but understanding nod.

"Don't worry Master. I'll do what I can." Mickey said as Xehanort cleared his throat.

"Oh, and lest I forget. This is Master Xehanort, one of my previous pupils…who is oddly bald for some reason?" Yen Sid asked, just noticing Xehanort's sudden baldness for the first time. Xehanort smiled a little and shrugged.

"Shantotto." He muttered. Yen Sid gave an understanding "Ah," deducing right away the general idea of what had happened.

"Anyway, Master, I thought I might borrow your library. There's a lead I need to follow up on." Xehanort said as Yen Sid gave a nod, motioning towards the door. Xehanort bowed appreciatively before headed towards the door, his hands behind his back and the world fading to black as the chapter ended. In the reading room, Aqua, Mickey, Oswald, Donald, Goofy, and even Axel were a little weepy eyed from their sympathy for Master Yen Sid. Everyone else was similarly respectful of the old Master's feelings.

"Wow." Ven said softly, drying his own eyes. Aqua was drying hers on her sleeves.

"I need to check something." Aqua said, standing up and headed for the door. Terra and Ven both stood up.

"Me too." Terra said, following her out. Axel did as well, followed by Mickey, Oswald, Donald, and Goofy. They followed Aqua down through the halls into the very room depicted with the mural. When they arrived though, they all stood in awe at what they saw.

The mural had grown larger since the image. In addition to Ory, Xehanort, Millicent, Lillian, Eraqus, and Oswald, several new people had been added. Mickey, a teenaged Si'Lea, and a grinning Axel tapping the side of his forehead had been added. But sitting down in front were, from left to right: Terra, Ven, Aqua, Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Nixe. Yen Sid himself had aged in the mural to appear as his older and more mature self, the form they'd all grown familiar with.

"That did it. Shut up Heart. Damn emotions." Axel grumbled, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose into a handkerchief.

"Master Yen Sid does have a big heart, doesn't he?" Aqua asked as Terra ran a hand over the mural over Eraqus's face.

"Yeah, he did." Terra said.

"I always thought of him as some stern old man. This whole experience with Master Lillian's tome…it's really changed the way I've thought of him." Ven said.

"You and me both." Axel muttered.

"He's was a father, mourning his children, even after they went astray." Terra said, looking at the younger and happier Xehanort.

"We're talking like he's dead." Aqua said as everyone looked at Axel. He just shrugged in response.

"I dunno. He just seemed to vanish after his Keyblade fell apart. I dunno if he's dead or if he just left to let us fend for ourselves." Axel said as they all exchanged curious looks.

"Then maybe he's still out there. He may even be in this very room and we not know it." Ven said as Aqua looked at Yen Sid's gentle smile on the mural.

"Whether he's alive or dead, either way, after all he's been through, he certainly deserves the rest." Aqua said as the others nodded.

"He certainly does." Mickey said, Oswald nodding in agreement.

"And who knows, maybe he'll show up again someday." Oswald said.

"I hope so. The ol' geezer owes me some back pay." Axel joked, causing some laughs. Ven then looked at the mural with a slightly sad face.

"I think I understand him a bit more now. He outlived at least four of his Apprentices, people he trained from a young age. To him, losing them wasn't just a failure as a Master, but a failure as a father." Ven said as they looked over the mural. Ory, Millicent, Xehanort, and Eraqus were all gone while Lillian's fate remained unknown.

"But he didn't lose everyone." Mickey said as he and Oswald stepped forward.

"Well, not permanently." Oswald said.

"And then there are those who fall beyond redemption." Aqua said, eyeing Xehanort.

"Why did he leave ol' Superior on there? Especially after he led to the deaths of at least two of the people on here…and maybe a third?" Axel asked aloud.

"Isn't it obvious?" Terra asked, everyone looking at him.

"Master Yen Sid chose to remember Xehanort as he wanted to remember him. Not as the evil schemer we know him to be. He probably held out hope that Xehanort would turn away from the Darkness, even unto the very end. If that's what he did, it just goes to show how big of a heart Master Yen Sid has." Terra explained as everyone smiled at each other.

"I think we better go back now. I have a feeling I know what's next and I'd like to get it over with." Aqua said as they all gave her sober nods, beginning to file back towards the hall leading back to the reading room.

…

Back in the reading room, everyone returned to their seats.

"I'm sorry about the interruptions, Lord Ansem, Professor Shantotto." Aqua said but Ansem shook his head.

"Don't apologize at all. I completely understand. We all do." Ansem said, earning nods of agreement from Even, Dilan, Aeleus, and Ienzo.

"Yen Sid's great magic was not the source of his art. His incomparable love was the drive of his heart. To care so much for a bunch of total losers cannot be measured or counted. It was his greatest strength that has been forever un-surmounted. Now enough of these tears. I imagine there's more in this book which, for one of you, holds greater fears." Shantotto said as Aqua took a deep breath of hesitation but nodded.

"There is." She muttered, raising a hand towards the book. The room darkened as the older Lillian appeared, standing next to her desk, looking at the pages of her tome for a moment before taking a sad breath.

"_You've seen now the depths of Master Yen Sid's care and compassion. Don't take any sternness from him personally. Within him beats the heart of a grieving father. He would appreciate your sympathy, but weep not for him. He has had much to be proud of. While I believe he doubted himself as a Master ever since that day, he has been justified as a father. After all, Eraqus raised the three of you to be such good and strong young men and women." _Lillian said to Aqua, Terra, and Ven.

"Even though our paths-…" Terra said but was interrupted as Lillian gave him a nod.

"_Even in spite of that." _She replied.

"I know it was hard, Master, but thank you for showing us." Aqua said but Lillian smiled sadly towards her.

"_The sadness has not ended though…there is still more ahead." _Lillian said as Aqua took a breath and nodded.

"I'm ready." She replied. Lillian nodded back in response.

"_Then we shall press forward. The story is beginning to draw to a close, but as we do, there will be more loss, more grief. None of us walked away from this story without scars, scars that will never heal." _Lillian explained before she faded away, the room darkening even more to show her younger self tying up her dory to an unseen dock.

"_On Xehanort's request, I traveled to Radiant Garden to search for the Dandelion there and protect them as best I could…" _Lillian's narration said…

"…_and alas, it too would end in tears."_

* * *

**End Chapter 27**

The song above was a slightly altered version of "Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)" from Disney's Mary Poppins.

I wanted to shed more on Ory's past in some way as he didn't get much in character development before getting killed off. Plus I wanted to show why and how Yen Sid went from the jovial and cheerful man he was at the beginning to the more stoic Master we see in the core series.

I liken Yen Sid in this scene to King Theoden of Rohan from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, specifically his portrayal by Bernard Hill in a scene from "The Two Towers" where Theoden mourns the loss of his son. That scene was a great inspiration for this one.


	28. Murder in Radiant Garden

(Ambience Music Cue: Hollow Bastion – KH1 Remix)

Lillian had just finished mooring her dory in the same canal as last time and was hurrying through the streets of Radiant Garden, her eyes flashing as she peered into the futures of people she passed, searching for the dandelion Xehanort had warned her about. After a moment's searching, she spotted a familiar head of blond hair in the courtyard.

"Ansem!" she called, hurrying towards him. Ansem lowered his clipboard and looked towards her.

"Ah, Miss Lillian. What brings you back to the Garden?" he asked with a congenial smile.

"I'm looking for someone. It's crazy but this person would be a child. I can't give you any more than that I'm afraid." She said as Ansem arched a curious eyebrow.

"And why would you be looking for some random child?" he asked. Lillian gave him a serious glare.

"Because he or she may be in mortal danger at this very moment." Lillian replied. A serious gaze appeared on Ansem's face and he gave a nod.

"Then let's waste no time. Have you any clue where to search?" he asked but Lillian sighed and shook her head.

"All I can say is that the person I'm looking for is here and that I'll know them when we find them. More than that I am forbidden from saying." She said as Ansem gave her a skeptical look but then glanced away in thought.

"Then you should come with me. I believe there is someone you need to meet." Ansem said as he motioned for her to follow. The two took off down the street towards the castle. Their departure didn't go unnoticed though as the Traveler arrived in a Corridor of Darkness on the rooftops nearby. Lillian was following Ansem towards the castle.

"What's happened, Ansem?" she asked as they ran.

"It just so happens that there was a report of some kind of fight taking place recently. Someone tried to murder a single mother and her child in the gardens this morning. Someone else stepped in and allowed the mother to escape." Ansem said as Lillian smiled.

"I think I know who her savior was. But where is she now?" Lillian asked.

"The mother's whereabouts are unknown. The person I'm taking you to was her assailant." Ansem replied, causing Lillian's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Her assailant?!" she asked.

"Yes, or at least the woman who confessed to being so. I don't believe her though. Her story both condemns and exonerates her." Ansem said as they reached the small garden outside the castle doors. As they approached, they found Namine quietly tending to the flowers outside the doors.

"Miss Namine!" Ansem called, attracting the older woman's attention. Namine smiled gently at the young Prince.

"Milord." She greeted with a curtsy.

"Miss Namine this is Lillian, a friend of mine. I'd like you to explain everything to her about what happened earlier today." Ansem said as Namine looked at Lillian for a moment and smiled warmly.

"You're Eraqus's friend, aren't you?" she asked as Lillian blinked in surprise for a moment.

"Why yes, I am. He's my fiancé." Lillian replied as Namine's smile widened.

"I hope he's doing well. I owe him my life. He saved me from the control of some…sorceress named Ultimecia." Namine said as Lillian's eyes widened.

"Ultimecia? She was here?" Lillian asked as Namine shivered a little and nodded.

"She possessed my body. She conjured strange magic through me and attempted to kill an innocent young woman. She claimed she was a dandelion. Clearly a codeword of some kind." She explained as Lillian gave a sigh and a nod.

"That's right. I can't elaborate but it's not the mother she was after as much as the child. Both are in danger but the child more-so. I need to find them soon." Lillian said as Namine looked out towards the town.

"I've seen the woman you're looking for before. She lives down near the alleys. There are four boys who lurk around there and pull pranks on people. They might know where she might be." Namine explained as Lillian gave a nod.

"Yes, thank you ma'am. You've been very helpful." Lillian said as Namine looked at her concerned.

"I'm not through helping. I'll come with you." Namine said.

"You sure you can keep up?" Lillian asked.

"No but I can catch up. It's more important you get there first." Namine replied as both Lillian and Ansem gave a nod and took off back into town. Lillian looked up as they ran, noticing the storm clouds gathering overhead.

"Typical. A storm in a situation like this." Ansem muttered.

"You don't need to follow me like this, Ansem." Lillian said as they ran through the marketplace.

"Don't be absurd. One of my people's lives are threatened. What kind of ruler would I be if I didn't do all in my power to protect them?" Ansem asked as Lillian smiled at him. She glanced back and saw Namine was hurrying after them as fast as she could. Her age slowed her down but she had a look of determination on her face.

"I only hope we're not too late." Lillian said as they continued on towards the alleys. Soon they reached the alleys but found no one there.

"Curses!" Lillian grumbled.

"They may have sought shelter from the storm." Ansem said. Lillian's eyes started to sting though, causing her to wince briefly and look around (Battle Music Cue: Black Garden – BBS).

"Maybe not! Look!" she exclaimed, spotting a Second Displaced hobbling away. Lillian quickly summoned her Keyblade and chased after it, Ansem following after her. They chased the Displaced back into the streets, following it towards the gardens.

"Are you sure it's wise to follow it like this?!" Ansem asked as they ran.

"If I'm correct, these things will be drawn towards important people. People vital to time." Lillian replied.

"Time? You mean this child may be important in the future?" Ansem asked.

"Yes, precisely." Lillian replied.

"Would that be why they attacked me?" Ansem asked but Lillian didn't answer. They soon reached the gardens where they found the four youths in question, Braig, Dilan, Even, and Aeleus surrounded by the Displaced. Braig had his marble guns in hand, Dilan had a long pointed stick in both hands like a spear, Even had a wooden barrelhead with a rope through the top like a shield, and Aeleus had a hatchet with an orange handle, all four of them staring down the Displaced.

"They're surrounded!" Ansem exclaimed as Lillian summoned her flintlock and pointed her Keyblade at them.

"I can handle them!" she replied before she suddenly vanished and reappeared on the opposite side of the boys. All of the Displaced suddenly exploded in bursts of sand. Ansem recognized her Haste Shotlock and smiled.

"Ah so it is, a matter of accelerating time." He muttered to himself as he hurried down to join them. Lillian turned towards the boys who looked around confused.

"What happened?" Dilan asked.

"No time to explain. Have any of you seen a woman with a child around here lately?" Lillian asked.

"Yeah! The guy in the coat took 'em both!" Even said as Lillian grimaced.

"He did? Damn it! Where did he take them?" Lillian asked as Ansem and Namine both arrived.

"Dunno." Aeleus replied.

"He just kinda appeared in this swirling blackness. Looked kinda cool really." Braig commented.

"Grabbed 'em, then disappeared the same way." Dilan added.

"A Corridor of Darkness." Lillian muttered, cringing as she turned away.

"Do you know where he might've taken her?" Ansem asked, the four turning and recognizing him.

"Whoa, it's the King!" Dilan remarked.

"Boys, please, this is important." Ansem said.

"We dunno where he went. He just vanished." Even replied as Namine looked thoughtful.

"I think I might know." She said, Lillian turning towards her.

"You do?" she asked.

"Yes. When that sorceress had me under her control, I remember being able to see some of her memories. One of them was the view from an old mesa just outside of town, the one at the end of the canyon." Namine explained as Lillian's eyes widened.

"If he's still here, then that's where they must be." Ansem said as Lillian turned and threw her Keyblade into the air.

"I'll be able to get there before you can! Try and catch up if you can!" Lillian said as her Glider came hovering back down. She quickly leapt onto it and took to the skies, flying up into the air and looking around before she saw the mesa in question. She then rocketed off towards the mesa as fast as she could go. As she got closer, she saw the Traveler standing on the mesa with his hands behind his back, the mother standing in the center before him while several Displaced surrounded her but didn't attack, merely watching her. The mother stood clutching her baby close to her, the infant crying. Lillian landed on the mesa with her Keyblade and flintlock in hand.

"Let her go!" Lillian said as the Traveler started to circle around the Displaced towards her.

"Oh we both know that's not going to happen. If the one supposed to protect these little Dandelions can't protect them, what makes you believe you can?" The Traveler asked.

"Master Ory?! But that means-…no! It can't be!" she gasped.

"He put up a brave fight. But it seems exhaustion had taken its toll on him. It's a pity really. He seemed like a stand up guy. But then he had no future in my time so like a surgeon does a dead organ, I had to amputate." The Traveler said as Lillian scowled and looked at the fearful woman.

"Why are you doing this? Do these children pose a threat to you in the future?" Lillian asked.

"I can't say. I've not met them yet. I have no way of knowing whether they're a threat to my plans or not. That is why I seek the Tempest. To find that out. In the meantime, why not create a few predestination paradoxes?" the Traveler asked as Lillian looked at him confused.

"Predestination? You mean to imply that this is all meant to happen?" she asked as the Traveler paused (Battle Music Cue: The Key - BBS).

"I seem to have said too much." He said, summoning his sword. Lillian scowled and dropped into her fighting stance. The Traveler suddenly vanished in a haze but Lillian quickly spun around in time to block an attack from behind, the Traveler behind her with one hand on his sword and the other with his demon gauntlet on. He took a swipe at her with the gauntlet but she leapt back, taking a potshot at him with her flintlock but the Traveler deflected it with his sword before charging towards her. Lillian ducked his attack and then leapt into the air, pointing her Keyblade at him but he vanished in another haze. Lillian however anticipated this and turned to glare and aim her flintlock at him over her right shoulder.

"Coward!" she hissed, firing her flintlock at him and hitting him head-on in the chest with a firaga at almost point blank. The Traveler let out a startled growl and tumbled to the ground, Lillian landing nearby. She quickly pointed her Keyblade at the Displaced surrounding the mother and her child, attempting to line up a shotlock but the Traveler recovered too soon and appeared nearby, charging towards her with a clawed hand raised to run through her. She quickly leapt back in time to evade but was surprised when the Traveler fell flat on his face just in front of her.

"What?" she asked, confused as the Traveler pushed himself up with a growl, looking back over his shoulder to see his booted right ankle ensnared by a long golden chain with a pocket watch at the end.

"Hullo! Thought it was time we met!" Professor Co greeted, his pocket watch chain running from his sleeve. The Traveler vanished in another haze, reappearing nearby, on his feet, facing Lillian and Co, his weapons at the ready.

"Who are you?" he asked, surprised.

"Good question. I know, of course, exactly who you are. Quite the brains of this operation, eh?" Co said, shooting him a wink. The Traveler let out a quick gasp and launched towards him. Lillian blinked in alarm as the Traveler started attacking Co but Co quickly leapt back, using his pocket watch to strike against the Traveler's blade with enough force to deflect or parry his strikes. Lillian seemed startled, watching the Traveler attack Co but Co kept evading.

"I seem to have set him off!" Co yelled as they clashed before leaping back and landing near Lillian, the Traveler standing at the ready.

"How do you know who I am?" the Traveler asked as Co casually checked his pocket watch.

"Fellow time traveler, for starters. Second, I've been watching you since…oh a few years from now, when you first arrived?" Co said as the Traveler clinched his fists, including his demon gauntlet.

"And what is your purpose here?" The Traveler asked. Co casually started spinning his pocket watch.

"Same as you really. Setting up a little predestination. Almost the same list as you've got." Co said, confusing Lillian.

"List?" she asked.

"He's got a hit-list. A list of people he needs to eliminate. Meanwhile I've got a list of people that need to live. So far we're both checking off our lists." Co said as the Traveler flourished his sword.

"Enough! I won't let you two stand in my way!" the Traveler yelled.

"What about the three of us then?!" another voice called from overhead. The Displaced surrounding the woman and her child suddenly were destroyed by three glowing lengths of chain that spiraled around through the Displaced, smashing through them before vanishing. Eraqus suddenly dropped down between the Traveler and the woman.

"Eraqus!" Lillian exclaimed with a smile, pleased to see her fiancé.

"Honey, I'm home." He replied, not taking his eyes off of the Traveler but smiling all the same.

"And so now it's three on one. How delightful. All three of you get to watch this woman die." The Traveler said, motioning to the woman behind Eraqus.

"Not this time! Not again! The pain you've caused, the lives taken, end here!" Eraqus said as but the Traveler said as Ansem, Namine, Even, Dilan, Braig, and Aeleus arrived on the mesa, hurrying to approach them.

"No, not yet, not here. Millicent's visions are correct. A Darkness is coming. One that neither of you will be alive to prevent. It has been foretold. I can vouch for this." The Traveler said as Eraqus and Lillian scowled, Lillian aiming her flintlock towards him.

"We won't allow this Darkness to pass. I've not seen it in my visions, so either myself or Milly are wrong, and all things considered, I'm willing to bet it isn't me." Lillian argued.

"Or perhaps neither of you are wrong. That is why we seek the Tempest. To see which of you is correct. One of you? Both of you? Or neither of you. Personally speaking, I'd prefer that you be the wrong one." The Traveler said as Ansem approached the mother.

"Are you alright ma'am?" Ansem asked as the mother nodded.

"Yes, I am. But my daughter-…" she said, her baby crying in her arms.

"May I?" Ansem asked, holding out his arms. The mother nodded and handed the baby off to Ansem. The minute he did though…

"Finally." The Traveler groaned before shooting red lighting bolts at Eraqus who deflected with a Reflega sphere. Lillian fired her flintlock at the Traveler, the shot echoing across the canyons and mesas (End Battle Music). Everyone's eyes widened in shock however at what they saw. Standing between Lillian and the Traveler was the Mother, forcibly teleported from behind Eraqus to immediately in front of the Traveler, a look of shock on her face…

…and a hole right through her chest (Ambiance Cue: Aqua – BBS). The mother looked at her chest in shock and horror for a moment before looking back up and over towards the infant in the stunned Ansem's arms. In the present, it was right near where Aqua sat, looking sadly at the sight of her mother passing away before her eyes.

"Aqua-…" she whispered weakly before collapsing onto her knees, her body becoming enveloped with light. Before she fell onto her face, her body vanished in a cloud of rising white sparkles of light. Lillian staggered back in horror, dropping her flintlock before dropping to her knees in shock. The Traveler chucked towards Co who was glaring at him angrily.

"I take it, she wasn't on your list of people to save, was she?" the Traveler asked. Co shifted his jaw a little in anger before responding…

"No…but everyone else here is." Co said before starting to spin his pocket watch again, the Traveler quickly leaping back and dodging a strike from the Professor before Eraqus launched forward with a yell of anger but the Traveler vanished in a haze, reappearing nearby with his weapons put away.

"We'll meet again soon." The Traveler said before vanishing in a Corridor of Darkness, leaving everyone else in stunned shock.

"What just-…happened?" Aeleus asked. Eraqus clinched his fists, holding his Keyblade tight at his side, gritting his teeth in anger. He turned towards Co with a suspicious look. Co was glaring at where the Traveler had vanished with a scowl. He then looked towards Eraqus.

"Everything is happening as it was meant to. And no, I take no comfort in that." He muttered before opening a door out of thin air and looking at Eraqus again.

"I'll be back." Co said before vanishing through the door, the door disappearing behind him. Eraqus turned towards Lillian who was knelt on the ground, looking at her hands as they rested in her lap. She was still in shock. Eraqus hurried to her side.

"It wasn't your fault." He said, softly comforting her.

"I know but…I still-…" she muttered. Eraqus put his arms around her.

"You're not the only one grieving right now." He whispered to her. She quietly pat his arm, rubbing it a little.

"I know this is a bad time…" Ansem said as he approached, carrying the infant in his arms, "…but I would like an explanation."

Eraqus rose to his feet and approached Ansem.

"As much as I wish I could, I'm afraid we're pressed for time. I can't promise that an explanation will ever come either." Eraqus said as Ansem looked at Lillian for a moment and then at the child.

"She needs to go with you, doesn't she?" Ansem asked, as Eraqus looked at the child and gave a nod.

"Yes. She does." He replied. Ansem nodded back and allowed Eraqus to take the child in his arms.

"Whoa, hold on. How come he's getting to-…" Braig interrupted but suddenly collapsed along with Even, Dilan, and Aeleus in dead faints. They all looked around in confusion before spotting an open portal to Disneylahn stood nearby, with Yen Sid standing just outside of the portal.

"Master!" Eraqus exclaimed, Lillian scrambling to her feet in a bow with a look of shame on her face.

"Master we tried to-…we're sorry we failed you." Lillian said, but Yen Sid merely approached her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

"No, you didn't fail me or anyone. Don't lose yourself to that line of thinking." Yen Sid said before turning towards Ansem and Namine who seemed confused.

"What did you do to them?" Namine asked.

"I erased their memories of these events. Should they ever find record of these events, they will remember. But they will have forgotten ever meeting us." Yen Sid said as he approached the two of them.

"Are you going to make us forget?" Ansem asked but Yen Sid gave a shrug.

"It depends on you. If you wish to forget, then you may. Otherwise I need to know you can be trusted with these memories." Yen Sid said as Ansem reached into his coat and wrote something down on a small card.

"Let this be all I remember of it then." Ansem said as Yen Sid looked at him curiously. Eraqus and Lillian were both surprised by this as well.

"Ansem, why?" Lillian asked. Ansem scowled towards the ground.

"It's not a matter of desire, but a matter of need. I can tell that the forces at work here will have this girl in their crosshairs. For her own safety, it would be best that I not remember her or you." Ansem said as Namine gave a nod.

"I agree. The same will go for me." Namine said as Eraqus approached her.

"Not yet, not for you. I still made a promise to you, to return that which was stolen from you. Once it's been returned, then you can forget all about us." Eraqus said with a smile as Namine smiled back warmly.

"Don't make a girl a promise you can't keep." Namine said as Lillian stepped up next to her fiancé.

"He doesn't." she replied with a reassuring but sad smile.

"I suppose it is sad that I would forget you. I owe you my life, as does that precious girl in your arms, but if it must be done for her sake, then I will be proud to pass from these worlds in blissful ignorance than remember and worry for her all my days." Namine said as Eraqus nodded.

"I will return when this is over then. You have my word." Eraqus said as he and Lillian turned towards the portal. Yen Sid followed them but the three paused and turned towards Ansem, Namine, and the four unconscious youths. Ansem and Namine both nodded with sad and understanding smiles before Yen Sid raised a hand and in a flash of light the six Radiant Garden residents were gone, leaving the three Keyblade Wielders and the lone Dandelion alone on the mesa near the portal.

"Come, there is much to discuss." Yen Sid said gently as he ushered the them through the portal which closed behind them. The world faded away as the chapter came to a close. Everyone looked at Aqua who seemed saddened but also quietly angry.

"Aqua…are you alright?" Ven asked. Aqua looked down a little.

"I will be. I knew this was coming but…what hurts me most right now is…" Aqua said as she stood up, walked towards the door but paused and turned back towards them, an angry look on her face.

"Why can't I even work up one tear for her? I just watched my mother get murdered and yet…" Aqua said before grimacing and stomping the ground once, clinching her fists at her side, breathing heavily.

"Aqua?" Terra asked, worried for his friend. Everyone in the room was looking at her worriedly. Aqua then looked at them, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"When Sora rescued me from the Realm of Darkness and I learned that I'd lost ten years of my life to the Darkness, I cried. When I thought of how I'd lost Master Eraqus, lost the two of you, I cried. Gradually, as I regained hope, my tears stopped flowing. So why? Why is it that I witness the murder of the very woman who gave birth to me and I feel nothing? I'm numb. The only thing I feel is anger and self-loathing for that numbness!" Aqua snarled, practically furious at herself. The room was silent for a moment before Terra approached her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"You didn't cry now, because you shed those tears long ago." Terra said, causing Aqua to look at him confused.

"What?" she asked, softly.

"You were just a baby, Aqua. You never had a chance to know your mother. Did you even remember what she looked like before this?" Terra asked. Aqua paused and sighed.

"No…I didn't." she replied.

"You still hold a special place in your heart for her, and as callous as it is to think it, she simply didn't mean much to you. It's no different than a child adopted from birth by another set of parents. They may wonder who their birth parents were, and some may feel a special connection to their birth parents but others don't." Terra said as Aqua took a breath and smiled.

"I suppose you're right. Thank you Terra." She said as Terra gave a nod.

"We've both been through the ringer today. We've both been together for most of our lives. If we can't look out for one another by now, then we've got problems." Terra said as Aqua smiled wryly.

"That's true. So, then let's keep going forward. I don't want to waste anymore time dealing with our own issues. That can come later. For now, I want to find out what it is Master Lillian is trying to tell us." Aqua said as she and Terra both sat back down. No objection was raised as the next chapter began…

* * *

**End Chapter 28**

We're definitely starting to enter the endgame section of the story now.


	29. Knowledge

In Disneylahn, Lillian, Eraqus carrying the infant Aqua, and Yen Sid emerged from the portal into the throne room where Oswald and Mickey stood near Si'Lea's bassinette and Terra's bed.

"Master! You're back!" Oswald exclaimed albeit softly but Yen Sid quietly headed straight to the central throne, sitting down and, with a wave of his hand, conjured another bassinette. Lillian noticed the existing bassinette and the bed and paused in quiet confusion.

"Where did these children come from?" she asked softly. Eraqus looked at her sadly for a moment before setting Aqua down in her bassinette.

"They're Dandelions, the ones Master Ory had found before he-…" Yen Sid said, choking on his words. He managed to maintain his composure though. Lillian put her hands over her mouth in shock and horror.

"Then it is true. Master Ory is gone." She said as Eraqus approached her and embraced her.

"The Traveler murdered their parents, Lillian." Eraqus said as Lillian sighed heavily in despair.

"I don't understand it. How can my sister so willingly work with such…monsters?" Lillian asked.

"I think the Traveler may have something to do with it. If not him, then definitely that Ultimecia woman." Eraqus said as Yen Sid gave a nod.

"If what you say about her is true, then it's possible she might've been pulling the strings with Millicent this whole time." Yen Sid said but Lillian seemed confused.

"I've only met this woman once so I'm not sure I understand." Lillian replied.

"To put it simply, Ultimecia has the power to possess people. She can hijack their bodies and channel her powers through them. That older woman in Radiant Garden, Namine, was her host for a brief moment. Professor Co and I managed to free her but Ultimecia may have taken Millicent as a host." Eraqus said as Lillian looked at him in shock and disbelief.

"It can't be. I would've-…noticed." She muttered, losing herself in thought for a moment.

"Lilly?" Eraqus asked, worriedly.

"I suppose it's possible that I haven't noticed. She's seemed more and more lost each time I've seen her." Lillian said.

"There is a chance of saving her." Yen Sid said, everyone looking at him.

"It's risky, but the way to do it is to use the Keyblade to unlock her heart. If done right, it'll force Ultimecia out but Millicent will remain within her body." Eraqus said as Yen Sid nodded.

"But it could also cause the reverse. Leave Ultimecia in control and force Milly's heart from her body instead." Yen Sid said as Eraqus groaned in frustration.

"Is there another way?" Lillian asked.

"Professor Shantotto's been looking into Ultimecia for us. She seems to have had some kind of past encounters with her. She's spoken with some friends of hers as well and apparently one way to guarantee Ultimecia leaves her host is we have to bring her very close to death." Yen Sid said but Lillian was visibly hesitant.

"That's even worse, Master. And we don't even know for sure if Milly's possessed at all. I'll admit though, the odds are strong that she is. I'm just not prepared to lose her or give up on her so easily." Lillian said as Yen Sid smiled warmly at her.

"Nor am I. I've already lost one Apprentice. I'm not prepared to lose another." Yen Sid said as Eraqus looked at the three Dandelions who were still being watched over by Mickey and Oswald.

"Master Ory…why did they target him?" Eraqus asked.

"Aside from his knowledge on the Tempest you mean?" Yen Sid asked as Eraqus gave a nod.

"Yes Master. They killed the Dandelions' parents and Ory but spared the Dandelions. Why though? Did we intervein in time or were they not interested in the children at all?" Eraqus asked Lillian narrowed her eyes a little.

"Predestination. The Traveler had a hit list. There are, or at least were, people in our time that he had to kill. He said it was Predestination. That the lives of those he killed were meant to be lost. Perhaps Ory and their parents were-…" she said as Eraqus looked at the children.

"But why? This only made sure that these Dandelions came under our care, to begin training them to become Keyblade Masters. That would strengthen us, would it not?" Eraqus asked as Yen Sid looked to Lillian.

"Can you look into their futures and tell if they will be of the Light or of the Darkness?" Yen Sid asked. Lillian looked at the children but her eyes didn't glow. She finally shook her head.

"I'm sorry Master. But I'm not getting any visions of them." She replied. Yen Sid looked thoughtful for a moment before sighing.

"Then it will have to be a mystery that unfolds with the passage of time. All I can determine is that the Traveler has nefarious plans for these children in the future and that he wants to make sure that we are the ones who train them. For what purpose, I cannot say." Yen Sid said as Eraqus and Lillian both nodded.

"So then what do we do now, Master? And where's Xehanort? Shouldn't we be discussing this with him as well?" Lillian asked.

"He's here, using the library to follow a lead at the present. Unless he's come out while we were away of course." Yen Sid said, looking to Mickey and Oswald who both shook their heads (Music Cue: Jack's Obsession – The Nightmare Before Christmas).

"_Something's up with X, Something's up with X.  
Don't know if we're ever going to get him back."_

Mickey and Oswald both said…

"_He's all alone in there. Locked away inside."_

Mickey added, motioning towards one of the towers visible from the windows behind the thrones.

"_Never says a word."_

Oswald added.

"_Hope he hasn't died."_

Eraqus added dryly.

"_Something's up with X. Something's up with X."_

Mickey and Oswald both said as they all looked towards the tower. Xehanort's room in the tower had several desks and shelves, all covered in old books, scrolls, and tomes. Three desks were arranged in a semi-circle, one holding a large scroll with thirteen different illustrations to Xehanort's right, another with several old books laying open on the desk to Xehanort's left, while the desk in front of him had more books plus Millicent's tome open in front of him while on the wall directly in front of him showed a connection web of various possible connections to the cause of the Keyblade War including the Five Foretellers, a sixth unknown individual, five unknown individuals connected to a Fox masked Foreteller, and all connected to a single question mark connected to a slip beneath it labeled "Keyblade War." Xehanort paid no attention to this board at the moment as he scoured through the books.

"_Keyblade Lore is buzzing in my skull.  
Will it let me be? I cannot tell."_

Xehanort sang as he kept looking through tome after tome…

"_There are so many things I cannot grasp.  
When I think I've got it, and then at last,  
through my very fingers it does slip,  
Like a snowflake in a fiery grip."_

He returned to Millicent's tome, looking at a page with seven white Hearts in a circle around a Keyhole…

"_Something's here I'm not quite getting,  
though I try, I keep forgetting.  
Like a memory long since passed!  
Here in an instant, gone in a flash!  
What does it mean? What does it mean?!"_

He looked over at the table of books to his left, running a finger across different lines and passages…

"_In these little bric-a-brac  
A secret's waiting to be cracked!  
These scrolls and tomes confuse me so,  
confound it all, I crave it though!"_

He returned to Millicent's tome, flipping to a page of a pair of large white doors within the outline of a heart…

"_Buried secrets, something more?  
It's something hidden through a door.  
Strange, I thought I had the key.  
Something's there I cannot see!  
What does it mean? What does it mean?"_

He then noticed something peculiar, numerous passages referencing something referred to only with a strange letter X. He leaned in close to Millicent's Tome, flipping to another page…

"_What does it mean? Hmm."_

He turned to another book, flipping to a page with a heart split in two, one half White, the other Black, and the strange letter X between the fractured halves…

"_I've read these ancient books so many times,  
I know the stories and I know the rhymes!  
I know these tales and legends all by heart,  
My head's so full, it's tearing me apart!"_

He then stood up and scratched his bald head, looking over all the books…

"_As often as I've read them, something's wrong.  
So hard to put my bony finger on!"_

He then flipped to a page in Millicent's Tome, depicting two identical Keyblades crossed in an X with a long blade between them…

"_Or perhaps it's really not as deep,  
as I've been led to think!  
Am I trying much too hard?  
Of course! I've been too close to see!  
The answer's right in front of me!"_

He grinned as he looked at the caption beneath the image that read "χ-Blade."

"_Right in front of me!"_

He then flipped back to the page with the fractured heart at the χ between them…

"_It's simple really, very clear!  
Hide this knowledge, they did dare!  
They sent me searching everywhere!  
Just because they tried to hide it,  
doesn't mean I couldn't find it!"_

He then flipped to a page depicting five silhouetted figures standing amongst a sea of Keyblades standing like tombstones…

"_Alas, I think this Keyblade thing,  
will be harder than it seems.  
But I must know! It must be done!  
I must hide this from everyone!"_

Xehanort then grinned and turned towards an empty book, writing something down on the blank pages…

"_Yes everyone, in fact! Just me!  
Why I thank you for your Master's Tome!  
But there's no reason I can find,  
I couldn't find out with Time!  
It will take years just to come true,  
but that's exactly what I'll do!"_

Xehanort then leapt into the air with a wide grin, slamming the book he'd been writing in shut with a gleeful laugh…

"Eureka! I've got it!" he declared, holding up a black book with a white letter X emblazoned across the cover.

…

Back down in the throne room, Xehanort soon emerged, his hands behind his back and a smile on his face.

"Apologies if I've kept you all waiting." He said, moving to sit down on the right most throne.

"We've been bringing Lillian up to speed." Yen Sid said as Eraqus looked at him.

"Do you still have that card I gave you, the one Master Ory made?" Eraqus asked. Xehanort shook his head.

"I don't. I stashed it away where only those meant to find it will." Xehanort replied as he sat down, Eraqus grimacing in response.

"Damn it, we could've used that. Lillian hasn't had a chance to use it yet." Eraqus replied.

"Well there's not enough time to retrieve it then. You'll have to explain it to me." Lillian said as Yen Sid gave a nod.

"Indeed, but first, Mickey, Oswald, I want you two to take the children to another room for now. This is a matter we must discuss privately. I'm afraid neither of you are quite ready to know about this yet." Yen Sid said as the Brother Kings both nodded. Oswald picked up the infant Aqua and Si'Lea while Mickey picked up Terra.

"We understand. If you need us for anything, just let us know." Mickey said, the two carrying the children away. Once they'd left, the bed and bassinettes both vanished into thin air.

"Now then, regarding the Tempest and the Displaced…" Yen Sid said as Eraqus turned towards Lillian.

"Basically we've been going about our search all wrong. We've been looking for an object of some kind when in fact, we've been needing to find a door." Eraqus said, confusing Lillian.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The Tempest isn't an object, but a place. Much like there is a Realm of Light and a Realm of Darkness, there is also a Realm of Time. The Tempest is that Realm, the realm where all of time flows." Xehanort explained.

"The Displaced are of the Tempest. Whenever someone travels through Time improperly, they create a wound in Time. I've been able to open passages through Time and not conjured any Displaced in the process. They only appear when a brute force method of Time Travel is attempted, smashing through Time. The harder but safer means of Time Travel is gentler and doesn't do any damage. To stop the Displaced, the wound has to be sealed up and that can only be done with a Keyblade." Yen Sid explained.

"However, that wound can also double as a means of gaining entrance to the Tempest." Eraqus added as Lillian pondered.

"Then we need to find the wound where the Traveler and Ultimecia arrived. But how do we do that?" Lillian asked.

"For that, we'd need you. Only the eyes of a Foreteller can see the wounds in Time." Xehanort replied.

"Do we know where to look though?" Eraqus asked as Lillian's eyes suddenly lit up. She saw the brown sands of a desolate wasteland with thousands upon thousands of lifeless Keyblades standing like tombstones for as far as the eye could see. Her eyes then returned to normal.

"The Graveyard." She muttered.

"What?" Yen Sid asked in soft surprise.

"The Keyblade Graveyard. I think that's where the wound is." Lillian replied as Xehanort rubbed his chin in thought.

"That would seem appropriate I suppose." He muttered.

"So then we need to hurry. They've got everything they need to enter the Tempest. The location of the wound and Milly counts for two, the Foreteller and the Keyblade." Lillian said but Yen Sid seemed skeptical.

"That's assuming Milly isn't possessed. If she is, then they've lost her Keyblade at the least." Yen Sid explained, earning curious looks from Eraqus and Lillian.

"What do you mean?" Eraqus asked.

"I've done research on this. If a Keyblade Wielder is possessed by one who is not, their Keyblade will not answer the call of the one who possesses them. If a Keyblade Wielder possesses anyone, wielder or not, they can still use their Keyblade. So if Ultimecia has possessed Millicent, she cannot wield her Keyblade." Yen Sid said, Xehanort listening intently but silently behind his tented fingers. Eraqus however glanced away in hesitation.

"I'm not sure that would make a difference, Master. Xehanort thinks the Traveler may have a Keyblade of his own." Eraqus said as Yen Sid looked at Xehanort curiously.

"Does he?" Yen Sid asked. Xehanort took a breath before giving a grim nod.

"He does. He possesses a Keyblade. He's shown it to me. What's concerning is that it is almost…almost identical to mine." Xehanort said as Eraqus and Lillian looked at each other worriedly.

"Then Millicent's life is in danger. There is one more thing they need to open the door to the Tempest. The right Keyblade." Eraqus said as Yen Sid glanced at Lillian.

"A Keyblade forged from the heart of a Foreteller." Yen Sid said as Lillian's eyes widened in shock and alarm.

"You mean they mean to sacrifice my sister's heart to forge this Keyblade?!" she asked as Xehanort gave a nod.

"You've heard of the Seven Precious Lights, correct? To open the Doors of Kingdom Hearts, a Keyblade must be forged using those Seven Lights. This is no different, except it only requires a single heart from a Foreteller to forge the Keyblade to open and perhaps control the Tempest." Xehanort said as Lillian narrowed her eyes in anger, as did Yen Sid and Eraqus.

"Then they have everything they need to enter the Tempest. We must now act quickly if we are to prevent them from using it." Yen Sid said, rising to his feet. Lillian and Eraqus both snapped to attention.

"We're ready to go when you are, Master!" Lillian said but Yen Sid looked at them hesitantly.

"No, I cannot allow you two to come with us. You're still Apprentices and we've already lost one Master to these fiends. To go against Millicent and possibly another Master in the Traveler as well as Ultimecia…I'm not prepared to lose two more Apprentices." Yen Sid said, causing the two Apprentices to look at each other, crestfallen. Xehanort also seemed disappointed.

"Master, surely we'll need Lillian's Foreteller abilities to find the Tempest, no?" Xehanort asked but Yen Sid shook his head.

"There are other ways of finding wounds in Time. The Displaced for instance will be the greatest giveaway. More than that, we cannot allow Lillian to fall into their hands should they lose Millicent." Yen Sid said as Eraqus scratched the back of his head.

"Master, does this mean we've failed our exams?" he asked but Yen Sid smiled warmly at them.

"Oh heavens, no. You've not failed them at all, but neither have you passed. The exams are not over yet. They will have to wait until after this matter is taken care of. So please, remain here and look after the children, Oswald, and Mickey. Leave everything to Xehanort and I." Yen Sid said. The two apprentices both looked at each other before reluctantly nodding.

"Yes Master." Eraqus said. He was surprised though as Yen Sid put his arms around the both of them, embracing them in a fatherly manner.

"I am still very proud of you both." He replied before stepping back away from them. He turned and raised a hand. In a grand flash of light, he summoned forth a Keyblade that was a straight shaft with sparkling stars and moons made of shimmering silver and a golden star in the tooth that literally glowed with light. He then looked at Xehanort who quietly rose to his feet and summoned his Keyblade at his side.

"We will return as soon as we can, and I hope it will be with Millicent at our side." Yen Sid said to the two Apprentices who both nodded.

"Yes Master." Lillian replied. Yen Sid then turned and pointed his Keyblade straight ahead of him, causing a portal of light to open in the air before him. He and Xehanort then quietly approached the portal, passing through it and the portal closing behind them. Lillian and Eraqus both looked at each other with apprehension, both hoping that everything would turn out alright but deep in Lillian's heart, she knew it would change their lives forever.

* * *

**End Chapter 29**

The Song above was an altered version of "Jack's Obsession" from Disney & Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I do not own the song.


	30. Fated Decisions & Fated Meetings

Roughly ten minutes had passed since Yen Sid and Xehanort had departed to confront the Traveler and Ultimecia in the Graveyard. Eraqus and Lillian both stood in the room with the large mural of Yen Sid and his Apprentices, looking sadly at the mural.

"I wish I had been here for him." Lillian said as Eraqus put his arm around her.

"I've never seen Master like that before, and I never want to see him like that again." Eraqus said as Lillian looked at him sadly.

"I fear that by the end of the day, he will." Lillian said as Eraqus looked at her worriedly.

"You think he'll have to kill Millicent in the end?" he asked softly. Lillian turned and walked away slightly before stopping, her back to him as she wrung her hands in hesitation.

"I'm…not talking about Milly." She said softly. Eraqus looked at her with dire concern.

"You?" he asked as she turned towards him.

"Us." She replied. Eraqus blinked in surprise before swallowing a little nervously.

"You've seen something, haven't you?" he asked as she nodded sadly.

"My visions are the clearest they've ever been. In it, I see a future for you, a bright and happy one…but I'm not in it." She answered as Eraqus's heart sank, a look of shock on his face.

"Are…you saying you don't want to-…" he said but Lillian looked at him almost teary eyed.

"No! Of course not! I want nothing more than to be your wife…but I don't believe it will ever come to pass. Our futures lay apart, separate from each other." She said as Eraqus sighed, rubbing the back of his head, trying to process Lillian's words.

"And why can't I just come with you?" he asked.

"I can't say. All I know is that there is something out there, something I must find and find alone. Fate has something in store for us both. I wonder if perhaps Milly's visions have been correct all along, as have mine. Maybe there is a Darkness in the future, and maybe our role is to safeguard the Light that will counter it. I can't say for sure, but I do fear it will mean us remaining apart. Lovers on separate shores." She said, almost crying from it.

"Then I'll wait." Eraqus said, earning a surprised look from her.

"Eraqus, it's not-…" she said but Eraqus smiled and stepped forward, taking hold of her hands, putting them together so that his hands were cupped around hers.

"Lillian…I don't care if it's a few inches or a few thousand miles separating us. I don't care if I have to wait for one second or for ten thousand years. I'll wait for you." He said, causing Lillian to smile lovingly at him, tears welling in her eyes (Music cue: Out of Thin Air – Aladdin and the King of Thieves).

"You're the only woman in all the worlds for me." He said with a smile as she sniffled a little. He then brushed her hair back behind her ear as he started singing…

"_You've shown me the worlds when I was all locked up inside.  
You've reached out your hand and took me on a magic fun filled ride.  
One look at your smile, and I can see the light shining everywhere.  
People like you don't come out of thin air."_

He sang as she smiled at him. She then sighed and turned away sadly.

"Oh Eraqus…" she said before singing…

"_You don't understand, there is so much that you don't see.  
Just think of if you can what giving up, has to be like for me.  
My vision's a land, it could be near or far, but it's never here.  
So how can you say I don't come out of thin air?"_

She then turned and looked out the window with a look of hesitant wonder…

"_There's so much I want to know!"_

She sang as Eraqus smiled and approached her again.

"_You've got the chance to learn."_

He sang back as she looked at him with sadness and longing…

"_If it means I have to go?"_

She asked but he shrugged with a loving smile, taking her hands in his again…

"_I'll be right here when you return.  
Our wedding can wait."_

He sang as she smiled widely…

"_I love you."_

She replied as Eraqus put an arm around her, leading her towards the center of the room as he sang…

"_I think it's worth this small delay."_

He sang as she smiled at him…

"_Maybe you're right."_

They then looked at the mural again, towards Millicent in the image…

"_And won't it to be great to have your sister see our wedding day?  
It isn't too late…"_

He sang as Lillian replied…

"_I've waited so long to learn the truth."_

They then looked at each other with sad but loving smiles…

"_And now at last we can finally say."_

Eraqus ran a hand through her hair to behind her head.

"_Your visions are really there."_

He sang…

"_There's so much that we might share."_

She replied as she put her arms around his neck…

"_And we'll finally learn we don't come out of thin air."_

They both sang before leaning in for a loving kiss, the two embracing for a moment before a voice cleared their throat nearby. They turned with a start and saw Professor Co standing nearby, rocking on his heels.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." He replied with a coy yet sad expression.

"Professor Co? If you're looking for Master Yen Sid, he's not here. He and Xehanort just left for the Keyblade Graveyard to seal the Wound in Time." Eraqus said but Co's expression turned grim.

"I know, and that's a mistake." He replied, confusing the two Apprentices.

"What do you mean?" Lillian asked, worriedly. Co pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it with a breath of apprehension.

"As one who is intimately familiar with Time Travel, believe me when I say that there's a proper order to dealing with rogue travelers like the Traveler and Ultimecia." Co said as he pocketed his watch.

"An order?" Eraqus asked.

"Aye. You don't fire a cannon without loading a shot in first, right? To do otherwise would be pointless. Flashy, but pointless." Co explained.

"What order do you mean then?" Lillian asked.

"First you need to make sure the two rogue travelers get sent back to their times, otherwise they could become trapped in the wrong time, and that could be disastrous." Co explained.

"Surely Master Yen Sid knows that. You've crossed paths with him before, haven't you? That whole Party he threw a long time ago?" Eraqus asked but Co nodded.

"But the thing is, he knew the when and the where. He knew the time and place everyone he tampered with came from. I can't say that he knows the same for Ultimecia or the Traveler." Co replied as the two apprentices looked at each other.

"So the Master simply obliterates the two here. Problem solved, right?" Eraqus asked but this time Lillian shook her head.

"Not if they escape. The chances of them getting away is too high." Lillian said as Co nodded.

"She's right. Besides they both have roles to play in their own times still. As much as you and your fellow Masters may want to, you can't kill them. They need to survive and be sent back to their own times." Co explained as Eraqus groaned in frustration.

"Then what do we do? And what's to stop them from traveling back in time again and starting this all over again?" Lillian asked but Co smiled a little.

"They can't. So long as they exist in some form in the past, they cannot return there. For instance, you couldn't travel back to your childhoods because your childhood selves are there. The laws of Time would forbid it." Co explained as Lillian cleared her throat.

"But couldn't the Tempest circumvent that?" she asked as Co nodded with a shrug.

"Yes, but I promise you, he won't allow it." Co said, confusing the two.

"He?" Eraqus asked. Co coyly looked up at the mural of the five Foretellers.

"Oh…you'll see…you both will in time." He said before looking at them, grinning (Ambience Cue: Link to All – DDD).

"But first it's time to be a little disobedient." He said, clapping his hands together and rubbing them anxiously.

"Disobedient?" Lillian asked.

"Mmm-hmm. You Master is powerful for sure, as is Xehanort, but they don't know about not letting those two miscreants escape. You two do. And if you want to save your sister, you both need to be there." Co said as Eraqus and Lillian looked at each other, both with determination.

"We'll get into a lot of trouble for this." Eraqus said Co shrugged.

"Aye but as my Master would say, better to ask forgiveness than permission." Co replied as Lillian summoned her flintlock with a smile.

"Take what you will, give nothing back, says I." she said, briefly and intentionally dropping into her pirate accent. Eraqus grinned.

"I've always loved that accent of yours." He said as she grinned a little herself.

"You're just after me treasure." She replied playfully.

"I thought I was your treasure." He said as she giggled.

"Damn, you figured it out." She replied coyly as Co laughed.

"You two really are adorable." Co said with delight.

"Professor, one last question for you. Why tell us all this? Predestination?" Eraqus asked as Co gave a slight nod.

"That, and more. To put it simply, you two are messengers. There are people in the future that will look back on these events, probably are looking back as we speak, waiting for a message meant for them as well as the answer to several mysteries that have persisted for a long time by the time they start looking back. And it will be through the two of you that the message and the answers will be found. Confusing, I know, but trust me, from their perspective, it makes much more sense." Co explained as the two looked around, curiously.

"You mean there are people watching us right now?" Eraqus asked.

"Aye, but more like a shared flashback. They're far-far away into the future. Decades in fact. But don't worry, they're all rooting for you two. They're literally watching history unfold from the future." Co said as Eraqus and Lillian both nodded.

"I get it. But how exactly?" Lillian asked. Co smiled coyly and shook his head.

"Ah, that'd be telling. But now I'm afraid this is where we say goodbye. Miss Lillian, it has been an honor getting to meet you." Co said with a bow.

"You're leaving?" Lillian asked with a slight frown.

"Aye, but it's for the best. I've every confidence you two will help put things right. Eraqus, I'll see you again though and sooner than you think." Co said before turning and opening a door in the air, leaping through it and slamming it shut, the door vanishing in an instant. Eraqus and Lillian both looked at each other and gave a nod before turning and running back towards the throne room. As they did, they passed Oswald and Mickey as the Brother Kings looked after the young Dandelions.

"Hey, where are you two going?!" Oswald asked.

"We're going to save the worlds!" Eraqus called.

"Don't wait up for us! Be a dear and look after the children!" Lillian called back as they ran towards the doors leading to the balcony.

"What?! But Master said to-…" Mickey said but the door to the balcony slammed shut behind the two apprentices…

"…wait." Mickey muttered before turning to look at his brother.

"Gosh, should we go after 'em?" he asked but Oswald shrugged.

"I dunno. Maybe we should just wait here for 'em. Besides, someone has to watch after these fellas." Oswald said. Mickey nodded worriedly.

"Right. I just hope they come back real soon." Mickey said as they watched through the windows as two streaks of light flew off into the sky.

…

(Ambience Cue: Keyblade Graveyard Horizon – BBS)

The Keyblade Graveyard…

…scarred and untouched since the cataclysmic final battles of the Keyblade War so long ago. For as far as their eyes could see, were the countless thousands if not millions of lifeless Keyblades standing in the dirt like tombstones. Yen Sid held his own Keyblade tightly at his side while Xehanort looked around with his hands behind his back.

"Sad to think that all of these wielders fell because they were fighting over the light. The gangrene of faction and loyalty to those factions, drove them to war against those who would've been their brothers, their sisters. Disappointing." Xehanort said as Yen Sid started to walk ahead down a path that led straight through the Keyblades, leading towards an intersection where three other paths met. Xehanort followed after him, hands behind his back as he walked. Xehanort looked towards Yen Sid who kept his eyes straight ahead.

"Master, I must ask. You've been around for a long time. Did you ever serve in the Keyblade War, perhaps?" Xehanort asked.

"I didn't. It happened before my time." Yen Sid said before stopping.

"But…" he said before looking towards Xehanort with a serious expression.

"…My Master on the other hand, was there." Yen Sid said, causing Xehanort's eyes to widen.

"Your Master? You've never mentioned him before." Xehanort said as Yen Sid smiled a little.

"It was at his request actually that I not discuss him. I agreed without question. But now…eh, it seems irrelevant. Ah, he was a great man. Possibly the greatest Keyblade Master ever. Wrote more than half of the books in the library about the Keyblades. A Master of Masters. I wish I knew what happened to him." Yen Sid said as Xehanort arched a confused eyebrow.

"You don't know?" he asked. Yen Sid just shrugged with a smile.

"He disappeared, vanished into thin air once my training was complete. Said he'd keep an eye on me. I sometimes feel his presence. Like seeing something out of the corner of your eye but when you look, there's nothing there." Yen Sid explained, smiling fondly.

"So why break your promise to not talk about him now?" Xehanort asked as Yen Sid smiled at him.

"Who said I ever promised? I agreed not to, but never promised. Can't break a promise you never made. Oh he'd probably laugh at that one." Yen Sid said as he started to continue down the path. Xehanort sighed with a smile.

"Pity. I'd have liked to have met him." Xehanort said but Yen Sid paused and smiled at him again.

"You have. You probably don't even realize it." Yen Sid said, causing Xehanort to arch an eyebrow.

"I have?" he asked.

"Where did you get your Keyblade? Do you remember?" Yen Sid asked as Xehanort summoned his Keyblade and looked at it.

"Some strange hooded man on my homeworld gave it to me. Just said 'take this so I can watch' and then disappeared. Are you sure that was him?" Xehanort replied as Yen Sid pointed to the strange eye near the tooth of the Keyblade.

"This here, is proof. This is his Gazing Eye. He never explained it to me but just said that this symbol was his mark. You were the first person I met with a Keyblade bearing this mark. The Keyblade you wield is actually the one he wielded." Yen Sid said as they continued. Xehanort looked at his Keyblade curiously for a moment.

"You think I'm your old Master somehow?" Xehanort asked.

"Not at all. My Master said he would pass his Keyblade down to one who would become my Apprentice. So that the Apprentice becomes the Master. Those were his words. And here you are." Yen Sid said before his smile slowly faded as they reached the intersection. Xehanort saw why he had fallen silent. Ahead of them, approaching from the opposite direction, was the Traveler and the possessed Millicent. Millicent's hood was down, showing her yellow eyes and her white hair. The Traveler and Ultimecia reached the intersection and came to a stop, the two pairs facing each other.

"Master Yen Sid. How good to finally meet you in person." The Traveler said as Yen Sid scowled at him.

"And you would be the Traveler I've heard so much about. The one who took the lives of two innocent people and one of my Apprentices." Yen Sid said as the Traveler gave a slight bow.

"Guilty as charged. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned this one here." The Traveler said, motioning towards the Ultimecia possessed Millicent with his head.

"She's still alive and she can be saved. She's not lost to us yet." Yen Sid argued.

"Oh but I'm afraid she is. You know what is required to allow us access to the Tempest, yes? The Heart of a Foreteller must be sacrificed to forge the Key that will open the door. And as you undoubtedly have guessed, the doorway is here in this very world, not far from this very spot." The Traveler explained as Ultimecia smiled darkly.

"It is the Wound we both made when we arrived here. A wound created for the purpose of bringing the Displaced with us so as to help us located the Tempest. Little did we realize that in doing so, we also created the door we needed to reach the Tempest. All we needed to do was to gather the materials we needed." Ultimecia explained with Millicent's voice and accent, although her tone was clearly Ultimecia's.

"Of course I had my own reasons for coming here in addition to the Tempest. A little groundwork to lay the foundations of my Future. A little predestination paradox if you will." The Traveler explained as Yen Sid glared at him.

"So you came here to remove obstacles in your path. To create a more favorable future?" Yen Sid asked but the Traveler bobbed his head a little from side-to-side.

"Mmm…Kind of. You see, I'm not completely here of my own volition. I came willingly, but at the request of another." The Traveler said as Yen Sid scowled at him.

"So there is more to you than meets the eye, it seems. Who is your Master?" Yen Sid asked but the Traveler laughed.

"Oh what a question that is. I can't tell you. Let's just say that, you know him yet know him not at all. He is the one that sent me here with two objectives. The primary objective was to make sure certain people were eliminated and others spared, which I've very nearly completed, barring two exceptions…" he said, motioning with his thumb towards Millicent.

"…and the other was to locate the Tempest. He wants to know what the future holds for him and his plans. And that's all you're going to get from me on that front." The Traveler said as Yen Sid narrowed his gaze towards him.

"I have one last question for you then." He said before pointing his Keyblade at the Traveler.

"Xehanort tells me your Keyblade resembles his. I want to know where you got it." Yen Sid said as the Traveler summoned his Keyblade.

"This Keyblade? My Master gave it to me for my mission. He said to use it and my junction blade exclusively while I was here. It's not the one I'm used to using though. This is just the keychain." The Traveler explained.

"I see." Yen Sid said with a low voice.

"Is that the last of your questions or shall we begin this final battle? I am a bit curious. I've heard legend of the great sorcerer Talw Yen Sid. I am anxious to see what he can do." The Traveler said as Yen Sid glared at him. Right away, the wind started to pick up and the clouds started to darken as thunder rumbled overhead.

"I am not some conjurer of cheap tricks. I am a Keyblade Master, the Lord of Disneylahn. It isn't simply for the protection of the worlds that I will fight you this day. It is for those I love and wish to protect." Yen Sid said as Xehanort dropped into a fighting stance. The Traveler and Ultimecia did the same while Yen Sid simply stood there, glaring at the Traveler, the final battles about to begin…

* * *

**End Chapter 30**

The song above was an altered version of "Out of Thin Air" from Disney's "Aladdin and the King of Thieves." I do not own the song.

This is it folks, the final battles begin in Chapter 31!

And yep, Yen Sid is directly referencing the Master of Masters from Union-χ as having been his Master as well as the one who gave Xehanort his Keyblade.


	31. Fantasia

(Battle Music Cue: L'Apprenti Sorcier – Dream Drop Distance version) (A/N: I recommend starting the track from the 2:26 mark).

Yen Sid and Xehanort stood facing down the Traveler and Ultimecia in the darkening Keyblade Graveyard. The Traveler noticed the gathering clouds.

"This is…interesting." He muttered.

"Xehanort." Yen Sid said, earning the attention of his apprentice.

"Master?" he asked.

"Give us the high ground." Yen Sid commanded as Xehanort smirked and raised his left hand as if lifting something. The ground beneath his and Yen Sid's feet suddenly shifted and moved before a tall pillar of earth erupted beneath their feet, carrying them high into the air. Once they were almost a kilometer into the air the pillar stopped. Yen Sid rolled up his sleeves, glowering down at the Traveler and Ultimecia as a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky over their heads. Yen Sid then bent his fingers inward, conjuring something. The ground began to shake before geysers of water erupted all around them, sending rusting Keyblades flying. The Traveler looked to Ultimecia who seemed a little unnerved.

"I take it your host knows his power?" the Traveler asked as Ultimecia glared up at Yen Sid.

"Not as much as any of us would like." She said the geysers suddenly grew larger, beginning to flood the whole valley despite its size. Xehanort looked down in time to see the Traveler starting to charge towards the pillar, running up the side while Ultimecia flew up beside him.

"Master!" Xehanort warned. Yen Sid narrowed his gaze and spun his Keyblade across in front of him, causing a massive upswell of water to come crashing into the pillar, forcing Ultimecia to fly away but the Traveler vanished in a haze, reappearing in the air overhead but froze in disbelief.

"Whales?!" he yelped before he was plowed into by a flying humpback whale, knocking him into the surging waters below. Xehanort noticed that a pod of flying humpback whales were flying overhead around them, almost circling overhead.

"Master?" Xehanort asked, confused as the whales suddenly vanished into the heavens.

"Just calling in some old friends of mine, that's all." Yen Sid replied. He suddenly threw a large Reflega sphere around himself and Xehanort just as a barrage of purple arrows flew towards them. They looked and saw Ultimecia floating in the air with a dark grin.

"All will bow to time." She said with a cackle as she started firing arrows into the sky, the arrows arcing down towards the two but Yen Sid glared at her, the arrows impacting harmlessly against the Reflega dome. Yen Sid then flourished his hands out to the side, the clouds overhead flying away in an instant to reveal a darkened night sky above filled with stars. Ultimecia looked around in confusion as stars and comets started flying towards Yen Sid, passing through the dome and starting to rapidly orbit the tip of his Keyblade, creating a thick swarm of spinning stars. He then glared towards her and swung his Keyblade towards her, sending the stars and comets flying towards her. Ultimecia recoiled in alarm, quickly floating clear as the stream of stars flew past her. Her eyes widened as the stream of stars coiled back around towards her, not slowing down at all. Ultimecia blinked in alarm before hurrying clear, flying away but the stream of stars continued to chase her. Xehanort watched with his hands behind his back and a smirk on his face. He then noticed something in the churning water below. He looked and saw the Traveler appear above the water, standing atop a strange horseshoe shaped object with two large bat-like wings on the sides. It was a Keyblade Glider. The Traveler proceeded to summon his junction blade and demon gauntlet.

"Master, the Traveler!" Xehanort yelled, motioning towards the Traveler. Yen Sid turned his glare towards him. The Traveler suddenly flew towards the pillar where the two Masters stood. Yen Sid raised his free hand towards him with a glare. Suddenly a seemingly unending swarm of brightly colored and tinted butterflies made of abstract shapes flew from his large sleeves. The Traveler reared back his sword and raised his clawed hand, conjuring an Omega symbol to the palm of the gauntlet before firing a black beam of energy that collided with the swarm of butterflies, the beam and the swarm pushing against each other almost evenly between one another. Yen Sid lowered his Keyblade to focus his attention on the Traveler, the butterfly swarm starting to slowly overtake the beam which finally died down, forcing the Traveler to evade. He then looked towards Ultimecia as she evaded the stream of stars.

"Looks like the conventional way is out. Time to get unconventional." He muttered, vanishing in a haze, his glider vanishing as he reappeared behind Ultimecia, putting an arm around her from behind.

"What are you-…?!" she yelped in confusion but the Traveler shushed her.

"Playing dirty." He replied, glaring straight at Yen Sid as the stars and butterflies started to converge on them. Yen Sid's eyes narrowed at him as the two remained stationary. Xehanort stood confused by the move until finally Yen Sid let out a growl of frustration, the stars and butterflies consuming the two within them. Xehanort watched curiously as the stars and butterflies trailed away, revealing both the Traveler and Ultimecia completely unscathed (End Battle Music).

"What?" Xehanort asked, confused. The sky suddenly returned to normal and the Traveler summoned his glider again beneath his feet.

"I must commend you, Master Yen Sid. Your power is truly as great as my Master warned me. He said that you would be too great for me and that I'd have to get creative in order to beat you. Fortunately it wasn't hard to guess your weakness." The Traveler said as Xehanort arched a confused eyebrow.

"Weakness?" Xehanort asked, looking towards Yen Sid who was angrily shifting his jaw, purse lipped, as he glared at the Traveler and Ultimecia.

"He played dirty." Yen Sid muttered.

"More accurately, I took a hostage. He couldn't harm his precious apprentice, Millicent, here now could he?" the Traveler said as Yen Sid clinched his left fist.

"Kill her, no. Discipline her as a father would a daughter though…very much so." Yen Sid said, rearing his Keyblade back but the Traveler raised a finger.

"Ah-ah-ah, you've had your turn, now it's mine!" he said as he opened his hand, conjuring a Paradox Displaced to his hand.

"I think we need to see something from your history, something that you might find a challenge." The Traveler said before tossing the Displaced into the water below. The Traveler and Ultimecia both moved clear as the water started to churn and bubble in an increasingly wide area before a massive column of thick black smoke erupted from the water. A loud roar and hiss of steam came from the water, as it rapidly evaporated, turning the entire ocean created from Yen Sid's magic to a cloud of steam. Yen Sid's eyes widened in shock and alarm at what it was.

"Master, what is it?" Xehanort asked.

"An old enemy from my past." Yen Sid replied (Battle Music Cue: Night on Bald Mountain – DDD version). A pair of massive glowing angry red eyes suddenly opened within the cloud of smoke, the eyes glaring at Yen Sid as a massive pair of red hot wings made of pure molten lava flew open within the column of smoke, the smoke gradually clearing to reveal an upper-body, head and beak made of black obsidian. On its forehead was the Displaced Hourglass insignia. Yen Sid sneered at the return of his old foe.

"Once more we meet, Firebird." Yen Sid said, raising his Keyblade and pointing it at the Firebird (from Fantasia 2000, The Firebird Suite). The Firebird opened it's beak in response, its mouth dripping with lava, before shooting forth a powerful jet of flame and magma towards them but Yen Sid's Reflega withstood the attack, flickering a little and causing Xehanort to look around in alarm.

"Master, say the word and-…" Xehanort said but when he looked at Yen Sid he could see him smirking.

"Sit back and watch your old Master work!" Yen Sid said as he spun his Keyblade around in a full circle before thrusting it towards the Firebird just as it was about to unleash another jet of flames. It was suddenly hit from below by hundreds of small jets of water hitting its body and wings from the ground below. Xehanort looked down to see hundreds of neatly organized rows of life-sized tin-toy soldiers all seeming to stand above the cloud of steam below and aiming their rifles at the Firebird, shooting jets of water at it, creating clouds of steam upon impact. The Firebird started thrashing about, its wings swiping away the soldiers. As the Firebird thrashed about, its right wing coming around towards the pillar where the Masters stood. Yen Sid noticed this and thrust his Keyblade towards the approaching wing. Suddenly a rain of steel girders, rivets, bricks, and mortar came down from above, rapidly falling into place to construct a large skyscraper in the Firebird's path. The Firebird swung its wing into the building, getting its wing caught. The Firebird let out an angry screech before pulling its wing free, demolishing the building in the process, before glaring at Yen Sid again. It opened its maw again and lunged at Yen Sid and Xehanort but Yen Sid stood defiant, a cold mist forming around his Keyblade along with a bright blue glow. He then thrust it towards the Firebird.

"Blizzaja!" he yelled, creating a massive sharp spike of solid ice in the air that the Firebird proceeded to fall upon, the ice shattering against its body but releasing a huge cloud of steam on impact, the Firebird recoiling in pain.

"It's still kicking! How's that-…" Xehanort said as Yen Sid spun his Keyblade.

"It's a stubborn old bird." Yen Sid replied as the Firebird reared back for another attack.

"Master!" Xehanort exclaimed. Yen Sid reared back his Keyblade again, thrusting it forward just as the Firebird lunged forward and spat another jet of flames and magma towards them. At the same time Yen Sid's Keyblade erupted with a concentrated jet of water that was more than twice Yen Sid's size. Xehanort recognized the spell.

"Waterja!" Xehanort muttered in shock as the jets of water and magma collided, pushing against one another. Yen Sid maintained his composure and continued the assault but so too did the Firebird. The two jets continued to press against each other, creating a cloud of steam and a rain of obsidian chunks at the spot the two streams met. Finally both Yen Sid and the Firebird stopped their streams at the same time, Yen Sid quickly rearing back and hurling a massive Blizzaja ice spike at the Firebird, causing it to recoil in pain. Yen Sid wasted no time and suddenly vanished in a flash of light, startling Xehanort.

"Master?!" he asked before noticing Yen Sid reappear high in the sky directly over the firebird. He spun his whole body so that he was pointed headfirst towards the Firebird. The tip of his Keyblade glowed with light as he traced a triangle in the air in front of him, the points glowing a cyan blue, dark blue, and a swirling light grey. He was setting up a Trinity Mark. The Trinity Mark suddenly shrank down into the tip of his Keyblade before he began a rapid descent down towards the Firebird. The firebird recovered and glared up at him. Yen Sid thrust his Keyblade towards the Firebird.

"It's over!" he yelled as he cast off three top tier spells at once: Blizzaja, Waterja, and Aeroja, the three spells hitting the Firebird with ice-cold water and a freezing wind while large blades of ice rained down upon it. The Firebird screeched in pain, thrashing about as clouds of steam enveloped it. Soon all Xehanort could see from outside the steam cloud was the light of the Firebird's body but it rapidly began to flicker and fade out until all he could see was the steam (End Battle Music). Finally all was silent as the steam began to clear, revealing the massive Firebird had been turned to solid stone from Yen Sid's final attack. Additionally, Yen Sid now stood upon its head, his Keyblade driven straight into the Firebird's head in the dead center of the hourglass insignia. The Firebird suddenly began to crumble and collapse, large chunks of it falling off and turning to golden sands, vanishing. Yen Sid vanished from its head in a flash of light as the Firebird crumbled away into nothingness. Yen Sid reappeared next to Xehanort on the pillar of rock which suddenly began to shrink back down into the ground.

"Master, remind me never to doubt your power again." Xehanort said as before noticing Yen Sid was panting, sweating as well, as he caught his breath. Yen Sid smiled at him.

"Believe it or not, this was harder than the first time I fought him." Yen Sid replied as they continued riding the column down. Around them, the Keyblade Graveyard had reverted to the way it was before the battle had even began, all of the rusting keys back in their original places as if nothing had happened.

"This was harder? You made it look so easy." Xehanort said as Yen Sid shrugged.

"Trust me when I say it was harder. Firebird and I went way back. We're from the same world actually." Yen Sid explained as Xehanort looked at him surprised.

"Really? He's from Disneylahn?" Xehanort asked but Yen Sid gave a slight shrug.

"From before it was Disneylahn. I was just a mere apprentice when I fought the Firebird for the first time. The first time I beat him, I trapped him in a time bubble, accelerating time within the bubble, aging him until he cooled off and became solid stone. From his stone corpse, I built the castle Disneylahn for myself. This time, with the Firebird being born of a Displaced, I couldn't use time magic to stop him." Yen Sid replied as the pillar finally reached the ground, returning to normal.

"So you had to use more conventional means this time around." Xehanort said as Yen Sid nodded.

"Yeah." He replied before they heard a clapping sound. They looked ahead and saw the Traveler and Ultimecia standing ahead of them on the opposite end of the intersection.

"Well done, Master Yen Sid. An impressive display indeed. I hope you enjoyed the little romp down memory lane." The Traveler said, applauding.

"It served your purpose to whittle me down. Don't think I didn't know what you were doing when you summoned it." Yen Sid said as the Traveler gave a gracious bow.

"Excellent observation. My Master warned me I couldn't defeat you and like any arrogant student I wanted to see if I could prove him wrong, and also like an arrogant student, I discovered he was right…yet wrong all the same. I couldn't defeat you on my own. I had to defeat you a different way." The Traveler said but Xehanort stepped in to stand between him and Yen Sid.

"You're forgetting that I'm still here. Fresh and ready to go." Xehanort said, his Keyblade in hand at his right side and his hand behind his back.

"Two against one. Feeling lucky are you?" the Traveler asked as Xehanort smirked at him.

"Unlike my Master, I have no reason to hold back. If necessary, I won't hesitate to go through Millicent to destroy the both of you, although it will never be able to apologize enough to my friends in the process. Plus I have every confidence in assuming that killing Millicent at this juncture would be an act of mercy." Xehanort said as the Traveler summoned his Keyblade.

"And so the double-cross commences. Can't say as I didn't anticipate it given our past conversations and arrangements, Master Xehanort." The Traveler said as Yen Sid arched a curious eyebrow.

"Arrangements? What are you talking about?" Yen Sid asked. Xehanort's smirk faded into a slight frown.

"He refers to the fact that I've unintentionally betrayed you, Master." Xehanort replied, not taking his eyes off of the Traveler.

"How?" Yen Sid asked, suspicious of his apprentice.

"I struck a bargain with the Traveler. Knowledge for Knowledge. I offered him Master Ory's knowledge on the Tempest in exchange for Millicent's Master's Tome. It was a bargain that both sides fulfilled." Xehanort said as Yen Sid's eyes widened before narrowing at him.

"You did what?! And did this include killing Ory?!" he asked angrily.

"In his defense, Ory was on my kill list from the beginning. At the least, Xehanort's bargain spared him torture and suffering in the long run and made his death quick and painless. Had he not bargained away Ory's knowledge, Ultimecia and I would've been left with no other alternative but to torture him for the information. I thought that might help alleviate any perceived guilt on your end." The Traveler said but Yen Sid continued to glare at Xehanort.

"Then is your next act to betray me again, Xehanort?" Yen Sid asked but Xehanort shook his head.

"Not at all. I've found what I was looking for. The cause of the Keyblade War. And with that knowledge secured away, I have no reason to use the Tempest for myself. So I will help to keep it shut." Xehanort said as Yen Sid glowered at Xehanort.

"We will discuss this later, Xehanort." Yen Sid said as Xehanort smirked a little.

"I know, Master. But better to ask forgiveness than permission, correct?" Xehanort asked as Yen Sid snarled at him.

"Don't back talk to me! Your actions have helped to cause this catastrophe! Two innocent souls killed, Ory murdered, Millicent possessed! I've half a mind to-…" Yen Sid yelled but stopped himself mid-sentence.

"Betrayal is such a bitter fruit, is it not?" the Traveler said almost gloatingly.

"Enough. Your battle is with me now." Xehanort said as the Traveler and Ultimecia both looked at him, Ultimecia almost smirking.

"Do you honestly believe that you can take on the two of us by yourself?" Ultimecia asked.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Only one way of finding out, isn't there? So come on, make your move." Xehanort said as the Traveler summoned his Keyblade.

"Good idea." He replied, but instead of launching an attack, he instead turned, spun Ultimecia around to face him and then proceeded to stab his Keyblade into her chest (Ambience Cue: The Key of Darkness – BBS).

"NO!" Yen Sid exclaimed as he and Xehanort looked on in shock. A bright light appeared from Millicent's chest, Ultimecia looking on in pain and shock, her true form appearing over Millicent's.

"Don't take this personally." The Traveler chuckled to his accomplice before pulling his Keyblade free from her chest, her heart glowing. Ultimecia staggered back and free of Millicent's body, clutching her chest as ribbons of darkness erupted from it.

"You're a fool if you think you can control Time." Ultimecia said as Millicent, now back to normal doubled over, clutching her heart.

"And you're a fool for thinking I had any intentions of letting you into the Tempest. My Master's orders were clear. You're too much of a risk to be allowed to enter the Tempest." The Traveler said as Millicent staggered onto one knee. Her heart had stopped glowing but the pain of having been possessed and struck in the chest still left her in a weakened state.

"You've…had this planned…all along?" Millicent asked as the Traveler shrugged.

"I didn't know the details but you were on my list…among one other." The Traveler said as Millicent's eyes widened in horrid realization.

"Lilly!" Millicent whispered as Ultimecia staggered back away from them, struggling to contain her Darkness as it slowly overtook her.

"Milly!" a voice called, causing Yen Sid and Xehanort to turn to look behind them in time to see Lillian and Eraqus come running up towards them. Millicent looked towards Lillian with a look of fear and alarm.

"No! Stay away!" Millicent yelled as the Traveler turned his gaze towards her and suddenly vanished in a haze. Lillian slid to a stop, realizing he'd vanished and quickly spun around in an attempt to block but it was no use as the Traveler, now standing in front of her, drove his Keyblade into her chest.

"LILLIAN!" Eraqus yelled, attempting to knock the Traveler's Keyblade away but the Traveler quickly grabbed her by the wrist and teleported the both of them back to where the Traveler had been standing a moment ago. Lillian's face was one of stunned shock as her heart glowed with a cyan blue as ribbons of black and cyan energy erupted from her chest, her eyes glowing with beams of light. Yen Sid, Eraqus, Xehanort, and Millicent could only watch in horror as her Heart emerged from her chest, floating up into the air with two-crisscrossing rings of cyan energy around it. Lillian fell lifelessly into her sister's arms.

"Lilly? Lilly!" Millicent cried, trying to wake her but it was no use as Eraqus ran to her side. They then looked up to see Lillian's heart glow with light in the air before suddenly descending into the Traveler's awaiting hand. The light suddenly took the shape of a Keyblade with long shaft made of blue light with the head of a black stopwatch with a black web-like shape for a tooth and a black guard and grip of similar design while a keychain shaped like an hourglass dangled beneath it (A/N: The No-Name Keyblade from BBS, not Young Xehanort's Keyblade, there's a difference).

"Finally, the power to control Time itself!" the Traveler said, looking over the Keyblade. Eraqus and Xehanort glared at him angrily, Eraqus standing and glaring at him.

"You're not going anywhere until you give Lillian back her heart!" Eraqus said before launching at the Traveler but he vanished in a haze, reappearing ahead of him, the pain riddled Ultimecia between them.

"I'm sorry about your beloved, Eraqus. But at least know she died fulfilling her destiny, just like I leave you here, having fulfilled mine!" he declared before pointing his Keyblade into the air, causing a strange rip in the air to appear, the rip being lined with golden sands bleeding from it. The Keyblade then glowed and flashed as the wound began to expand. The wound expanded to reveal a swirling blue vortex of energy barred by a pair of black iron gates with a keyhole in the center. The Traveler's Keyblade fired a cyan colored beam into the lock which allowed the gate to start swinging open. Eraqus and Xehanort attempted to intervein but Ultimecia staggered in between them, still racked with pain but causing the two to stop. The Traveler then leapt into the air towards the gates to the Tempest, flying through them, the gates slowly starting to close behind him.

"They're closing!" Xehanort exclaimed when a beam suddenly hit the gates, forcing the gates to stop. The two looked back to see Yen Sid with his Keyblade pointed at the gates, keeping the beam focused on it.

"Hurry! Get into the Tempest!" he yelled as Millicent weakly carried Lillian's unconscious body behind the Master, Lillian's body starting to let streams of darkness rise as the Darkness attempted to consume her heartless body.

"Right!" Eraqus replied but when he and Xehanort turned back, they staggered slightly as they saw Ultimecia staggering to her feet, darkness rising from her. Her body had changed. Her head now was covered in a black Lion's head with hive large red spikes protruding from the back and sides, two large muscular arms at her side while her own arms were crossed over her chest (A/N: Her Dissidia EX Mode, Junction Griever).

"Looks like we'll have to go through her first." Xehanort said as he and Eraqus dropped into their fighting stances.

"Let's make it quick." Eraqus replied as they stared down Ultimecia, the final battle with the Transient Witch about to begin.

* * *

**End Chapter 31**

In case you were wondering, all of Yen Sid's powers are references to the Fantasia films, mostly Fantasia 2000 though. The sudden flood is a reference to the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence in both Fantasia movies. The pod of flying humpback whales is a reference to the Pines of Rome sequence. The abstract butterflies were from the Symphony No. 5 sequence. The rapidly constructing building was from the Rhapsody in Blue sequence, and the army of tin soldiers were a reference to the Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro Opus 102 sequence. Naturally the Firebird was from the Firebird Suite sequence.

I had considered using references from the original Fantasia but most of those sequences proved difficult to pull material from for a power Yen Sid could use short of summoning.


	32. Ultimecia

(Battle Music: The Extreme – Final Fantasy VIII OR The Extreme -Arrange- - Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Version)

Xehanort and Eraqus stood staring down the almost Feral Ultimecia as she hovered before them, glowing with energy.

"She's gotten stronger since the last time I've faced her." Eraqus said as Xehanort summoned his Guardian Armor behind him and an Ethereal Blade to his left hand.

"The Darkness of her heart has been unlocked. It's consuming her and making her more powerful." Xehanort replied as he and Eraqus both pointed their Keyblades towards the Sorceress.

"We can't exactly kill her though. We need to send her back to her time." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave a shrug.

"Doesn't matter to me, so long as she's removed from our path." He said.

"Then let's clear the way!" Eraqus replied before he fired off a shot-lock, conjuring five orbs of light that launched towards Ultimecia, but she launched into the air to avoid them only to come under fire from a barrage of Ethereal Blades from Xehanort. She growled and thrust one of the large black hands towards him, conjuring a magic circle with a pentagram beneath their feet. Eraqus and Xehanort leapt clear just a split second before the circle erupted with a column of blue energy before fading out. She then let out a roar and raised both her monstrous hands out to the sides and conjured two massive glowing blue axes made of energy, hurling one at each of them, the axes spinning through the air but Xehanort and Eraqus ran clear, the axes crashing into the ground. Xehanort retaliated by sending his Guardian Armor flying towards her. The Guardian Armor immediately started grappling with her in midair, grabbing onto her arms.

"Eraqus!" Xehanort yelled, dropping to one knee. Eraqus knew what he was thinking and ran towards him from behind, leaping up and onto his back, using the Master as a springboard to launch into the air with his Keyblade reared back. Xehanort's Guardian Armor vanished just as Eraqus got within range, swinging his Keyblade down at her but she blocked with three crisscrossed blue lances bursting forth from a portal at her feet. He snarled in frustration before noticing something sticking out of her robe just above her left breast. It was the pink box she had stolen from Namine.

"I'll take that!" he yelled, firing a Firaga at Ultimecia at point blank through the lances, hitting her in the chest and sending the box tumbling out towards the ground.

"Xehanort! Catch!" Eraqus yelled before leaping back. Xehanort knew what he meant though and quickly ran to catch the falling box, catching it and tossing it to Eraqus as he landed in a short backwards skid on one knee. Eraqus caught the box and then tossed it towards Yen Sid.

"Master! Hold onto this for me!" he yelled as the box landed at Yen Sid's feet. Yen Sid was still focused on keeping the gates to the Tempest open.

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" he grunted, the gates overhead shuttering a little as they fought against him in trying to close. Meanwhile Ultimecia had recovered from the attack and was now floating in the air again, glaring at the two. She then raised both hands towards each other, conjuring a series of small orbs that converged on a point in between her hands, creating a growing orb shaped like a planet.

"That's not good!" Xehanort said as his Guardian Armor reappeared behind him.

"Command Jump: Hikari!" Eraqus declared as he started glowing with streams of light trailing off of him as he moved. Xehanort quietly tossed his Keyblade into the air for his Guardian Armor to catch, summoning a second Ethereal Blade to his hand, before sending the armor towards Ultimecia again. Eraqus turned and summoned several chains of light up from the ground towards her at the same time. The chains reached her first, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her backwards, causing her to fire the "planet" into the sky where it exploded harmlessly overhead. The Guardian Armor reared back and hit her hard, sending her plummeting down towards the ground. Xehanort and Eraqus launched towards her but before they could get close enough she let out a loud roar and released a shockwave that knocked the two out of the air and hard into the ground.

"Xehanort! Eraqus!" Yen Sid called as the two climbed to their feet. Their armors had appeared around them just in time to absorb the blow.

"We're fine!" Eraqus replied.

"We're winning, don't worry about us, Master!" Xehanort added as Ultimecia began firing a rapid volley of purple arrows into the air, the arrows starting to rain down on the two from above.

"They can defeat her, Master." Yen Sid heard Millicent say next to him. He looked and saw Millicent standing next to him yet also knelt down next to Lillian's body. Lillian's body was encased within a dome of light to try and keep her body from fading into Darkness without her Heart. One of Millicent's white magic circles was beneath the Millicent knelt next to Lillian.

"I know they can." Yen Sid replied as Millicent looked down at her sister with remorse.

"Then perhaps there's something I can do to help atone for my actions." She said before summoning her Keyblade and running towards the battle. Yen Sid couldn't help but smile at his apprentice's desire to help. Eraqus and Xehanort were still dodging her arrows when Millicent slid to a stop nearby, pointing her Keyblade at the Sorceress.

"Glad to have you back, Milly!" Eraqus said, throwing a Reflega sphere around him and her, arrows bouncing off the sphere.

"I heard what you said a moment ago, Eraqus. She needs to be sent back to her own place and time, right? Well allow me to open the door for you! It's the least I can do!" she replied before her Keyblade started to glow with a golden light. In the air behind her a massive brick wall with battlements and a row of cannons made of light rose up behind her, followed by another level above and behind the wall, creating a Caribbean Fort but with a Jolly Roger of a Mark of Mastery atop two crisscrossed Keyblades flying overhead, identical to Lillian's Jolly Roger on her dory. Millicent thrust her Keyblade towards Ultimecia with a snarl.

"FIRE ALL!" she yelled, the cannons opening fire, firing cannonballs made of glowing light, the cannonballs homing in on her. Ultimecia attempted to evade but was hit by each one of them, knocking her out of the air. The Fort vanished as Ultimecia was sent plummeting out of the air. Eraqus and Xehanort were about to move towards the falling Sorceress but Millicent blocked their path.

"Get ready to hit her with everything you've got." Millicent said. Eraqus and Xehanort both gave nods. Ultimecia was staggering a little as she climbed to her feet. Millicent pointed her Keyblade straight towards Ultimecia, a white-grey glow appearing around the Keyblade Master as she held her Keyblade with both hands. A glowing white analogue clock appeared on the tip, the arms spinning wildly. Finally a long trail of glowing clocks started forming in a straight line in front of her. Ultimecia moved aside as the beam of clocks flew past towards a much larger clock behind her. The clocks suddenly compressed down into the larger one, the arms slowing their spinning until the arms were pointed at exactly 12:30, the loud sound of a grandfather clock's tolling echoing as the clock split apart down the center, swinging open like a pair of double-doors to reveal a strange black castle that appeared to be floating in the sky surrounded by thick black clouds (A/N: Ultimecia's Castle from FFVIII).

"NOW!" Millicent yelled as Xehanort raised his left hand, a glowing sphere of dark blue light in hand. The Sphere suddenly shot into the sky. There was silence for a moment before a loud rumbling was heard as a large glowing hot meteor came falling from the heavens, flying towards Ultimecia. Ultimecia attempted to move but was pinned down by a set of glowing chains of light from Eraqus. The meteor proceeded to hit her head on, dazing her. Eraqus quickly launched forward and knocked her back towards the Time Portal but not through it.

"Your time is up!" Eraqus yelled as Millicent pointed her Keyblade at Ultimecia. A large glowing galleon of light appeared in the air behind her, aimed right at Ultimecia. Millicent swung her Keyblade at the Sorceress, a powerful gust of wind erupting towards her. Ultimecia tried to resist the winds as it pushed her towards the portal, shielding herself with her arms. Ultimecia looked just in time to see the galleon sailing towards her at high speed.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Ultimecia screamed as the Galleon collided with her, pushing her back and through the portal back into her own time and world. The Galleon disappeared as all three Keyblade Wielders their Keyblades at the portal, firing off beams of light that quickly closed the portal just seconds before a recovered Ultimecia could try and fly back through it (End Battle Music). The portal faded away as the three Keyblade Wielders caught their breath. They didn't have a chance to celebrate though as-…

"I'm losing it!" Yen Sid cried out as he struggled to keep the Tempest Gate open, his Keyblade shaking in his hand. Suddenly a burst of light shot down the beam into Yen Sid, knocking him onto his back. Eraqus spun towards him and ran to his side.

"Master are you alright?!" Eraqus asked as Yen Sid sat up, his hand to his chest.

"I'm not sure." He grunted. They then heard Xehanort let out a gasp.

"The gate! Hurry!" Xehanort yelled but it was too late, the gate slammed shut and faded away, the wound sealing itself.

"No!" Millicent cried out in anguish. Eraqus turned towards the unconscious Lillian as the Millicent Duplicate maintained the dome of light. He knelt down next to her worriedly.

"Is she-…" he asked.

"Without her heart, her body will fade into Darkness and be lost to us forever. This is but a stalling effort. If her heart isn't returned soon, she'll die." The Millicent Duplicate said as the original looked back at them sadly. Xehanort calmly walked towards the unconscious Lillian as Yen Sid knelt nearby.

"Master, are you alright?" Xehanort asked. Yen Sid looked at his Keyblade, noticing something unusual. A small chip on the shaft. Millicent looked up at where the Tempest Gate had been.

"I'm afraid I might've overdone it. But don't worry about me, we need to find a way to get you three into the Tempest." Yen Sid said as Millicent looked at her Keyblade, deep in contemplation. She knew what she had to do.

"But how? We'd need another Time Wound." He said (Ambience Cue: The Other Promise – KH2 Remix).

"Then we'll make one." Millicent said. Everyone looked at her confused.

"What?" Eraqus asked as Millicent looked down in shame.

"I was a fool. In trying to prevent the Darkness from coming, I've guaranteed it. I have potentially doomed the worlds to a great Darkness in the future. But if there is one thing my visions have shown me, it is that today is not the day the Darkness arrives…nor is it the day my sister dies." Millicent said as she held her Keyblade in front of her.

"Wait, you're not thinking about doing what I think you're going to do, are you?!" Eraqus asked, leaping up onto his feet. Millicent smiled at him warmly.

"You've always loved her, Eraqus. As misguided as they were, everything I did in trying to find the Tempest initially was done out of love for my sister. I wanted her to have a bright future, one full of Light and devoid of Darkness. Even when we were children, I wanted her to have a good, peaceful life, without worry. I've always looked after her. Now there is but one thing I can do to help her. One final act so that she may yet live the bright and happy life I've always wanted for her." Millicent said before turning and raising her Keyblade out behind her. She proceeded to conjure another glowing clock on the tip of her Keyblade but this time she swung it down, ripping a hole in the air with golden sands starting to pour out from inside of it.

"Millicent! Don't!" Eraqus yelled, attempting to stop her but Xehanort blocked him with his arm.

"Eraqus, wait!" he said calmly.

"But she's going to-…" Eraqus argued but Xehanort gave him a thwarting look.

"It's her choice." He replied softly. Yen Sid was giving her a sad but understanding look. He stepped closer to Lillian's body, taking over in maintaining the dome of light which started to shine brighter when he took over. Millicent's duplicate vanished as Millicent took her Keyblade in both hands, pointing it at her chest.

"I've failed you, Master. I've failed you all, as a friend, a Master, a sister, and as an Apprentice. Let this be my atonement." She said before stabbing her Keyblade into her chest. Her heart and body suddenly started to glow with light. Her lifeless body suddenly fell back and onto the ground, while another Millicent with a golden glow remained on her feet, holding her Keyblade. Her Keyblade suddenly fell to the ground and vanished while the one in her hand morphed into a Keyblade similar to the one the Traveler had created with Lillian's heart only a little more ornate (A/N: Young Xehanort's Keyblade). The glowing Millicent turned and pointed this Keyblade towards the Wound in Time, firing a beam of blue and black energy into the wound, causing it to expand and form the Tempest Gate which swung open for them, revealing the swirling blue vortex within. She then turned as Eraqus and Xehanort approached her. Her body on the ground started glowing with light, sparks of light starting to rise from it. Millicent then smiled at Eraqus, handing him the Keyblade with both hands.

"_Save her…and May your Heart be Your Guiding Key."_ Millicent said as her ethereal form started to glow brighter until both her and her body vanished in a cloud of rising sparks of light. They watched the lights flutter into the sky in silence. The silence was suddenly interrupted by a clap of thunder and a flash of light in the clear sky above. They then saw something come tumbling down from above straight towards them. The object proceeded to fall and land straight into the ground, standing upright in the dirt. It was Millicent's Abyssal Tide Keyblade, now ownerless and lifeless, its keychain dangling in the wind. Yen Sid bowed his head in quiet grief at having lost another Apprentice. Xehanort put his hand on Eraqus's shoulder.

"Come on, let's go." He said as Eraqus looked at the Keyblade in his hand and gave a determined nod.

"Take care of her Master." Eraqus said as Yen Sid gave a stoic nod.

"Go." He commanded softly. The two then turned towards the open gates to the Tempest, both walking towards it and starting to walk through, the gates closing shut behind them before vanishing, leaving Yen Sid alone in the Keyblade Graveyard with only his unconscious and lifeless Apprentice at his side.

"Master…if only you were here now." He muttered to himself, kneeling next to Lillian's body. He didn't expect a warm and comforting pat on the right shoulder.

"Don't worry. I got this one." A voice he recognized said. His eyes widened and he turned to look but saw only a strange door in the air closing and vanishing behind him.

* * *

**End Chapter 32**

Short chapter but then I wanted to get Ultimecia dealt with and the door to the Tempest opened first.

I also want to point out that the Keyblades formed from Lillian and Millicent's hearts are indeed the two variants of the No-Name Keyblades from Birth by Sleep. The one formed from Lillian is the more familiar No-Name while the one formed from Millicent is the one wielded by Young Xehanort. The two are similar but have enough small differences.

I call them both Tempus Fugit, only Lillian's version (the No-Name/Traveler version) is Tempus Fugit while Millicent's (Young Xehanort's Version) is Tempus Fugit-D and is basically the Dark version of the other seeing as how Millicent had more Darkness in her heart than Lillian did.


	33. The Tempest - Part 1

(A/N: A good ambience choice here would be the world music for "The Final World" from Kingdom Hearts 3.)

Eraqus and Xehanort weren't sure what to expect as they stepped into the Tempest so what they found before them had them both very surprised. The Tempest was a calm and peaceful cavern of shimmering blue tinted glass that partly resembled ice but it wasn't cold. Strange reflections passed through the massive prisms, most of the reflections blurry and impossible to make out. Faint whispers of conversations and events could be heard echoing through the caverns which branched off in numerous directions.

"This is the Tempest?" Eraqus asked as they looked around in awe.

"I was imagining some kind of chaotic storm or something. Perhaps a sand storm of some kind considering the Displaced come from here." Xehanort said as Eraqus shrugged, looking around with a stern gaze.

"It doesn't matter right now. We need to find the Traveler and retrieve Lillian's Heart." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave a nod.

"Agreed…but which way?" he asked.

"Guess we'll need to split up." Eraqus said as Xehanort looked towards one of the paths.

"Right." He said.

"Good luck." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave him a smile and a nod.

"You too." Xehanort replied as the two walked off down separate paths, Xehanort towards a dark and dimly lit path while Eraqus walked down a brighter, more well-lit one.

…

Xehanort had been wandering the darker path for only a few minutes, the path banking and curving through the caverns, overlooking larger chambers below or above. Strange hazy reflections continued to shimmer and whisper in the jagged glass walls around him. He couldn't make out the reflections or understand the whispers as he walked through the caverns, but he could feel that he was getting close to something, although he didn't know what.

Finally he rounded a corner and saw an archway leading into a large spacious cavern different from the rest. The cavern had changed suddenly into a grassy hilltop overlooking the reflection of a town in the distance, with a large castle in the center. The castle was built strangely in two twin sections with small bridges connecting the two halves on the lower levels while the roof connected the two halves on top, with a large pendulum dangling beneath it. The pendulum was frozen in place on one side, not moving or anything. There was no sky above the town, save for the twinkling glint of the cavern walls. As he stepped onto the hilltop, he saw a light appear in front of him. He looked at the light curiously as it started to approach him. As it drew closer, he realized it wasn't one light but five, all clustered together. The lights were five orbs of different colored light, each bearing an animal-like symbol.

From left to right, the orbs were a dark and light purple with the symbol of a purple cobra within it, a black and yellow orb with a leopard, a red and yellow with a white unicorn, a dark-teal with a brown bear, and finally a pink and yellow with a yellow fox within.

"_The Keyblade…is it you?" _a man's voice asked from the Unicorn orb, the orb glowing a little brighter than normal as it spoke. Xehanort seemed puzzled by this.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"_Your weapon…it's a Keyblade, yes? It's been so long since we've seen one…or has it been only a second? I can't remember." _The Leopard orb said with a younger man's voice.

"_We have been here for what feels like forever. Trapped and separate."_ The Cobra orb said with a woman's voice. Xehanort looked at them confused.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"_Do you not know us? Are you not him?" _the Bear asked, speaking with a man's voice only a little gruffer.

"_We don't remember who we are. We've been here for so long. We've forgotten our own names. But for some reason, we remember the Keyblade. We remember the tool given to us by our Master so long ago."_ The Fox said, speaking with the voice of a younger woman.

"Is this what happens to those who become trapped here, within the Tempest?" Xehanort asked.

"_The Tempest?" _the snake asked, confused.

"_Is that where we are?" _the Bear asked.

"_We have not always been here. I remember, I had form once, but that form was taken from me…or did I surrender it?" _the Unicorn replied.

"_We are lost…lost to Time." _The Leopard said. Xehanort looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Lost to Time…perhaps in its most literal sense." He muttered before looking at the world depicted before him.

"And this world?" he asked.

"_It too is lost. It once shined like Daybreak, but now it is dark…lost…forgotten." _The Fox said.

"_Like us." _The Bear added.

"So you were once Keyblade Wielders. What I can gather is that you each died or fell to Darkness. If so, why are your hearts here? I always assumed that hearts lost to the Darkness were turned into Heartless and your bodies into Nobodies. So how are you here?" Xehanort asked.

"_Our forms were taken from us." _The Snake replied.

"_I remembered a desire…a desire to protect everyone, to prevent a Darkness from coming…" _The Fox said.

"_But I failed." _The Leopard added.

"_And our forms taken and our hearts left to wander." _The Bear said.

"_Our forms still wander…I can feel it, wandering in Darkness, seeking the way out."_ The Unicorn said.

"_Is it you?" _the Fox asked.

"Who are you referring to?" Xehanort asked, looking at the Fox.

"_We are but five of our Master's Six. The Sixth is not with us.." _The Unicorn replied.

"_Perhaps he is looking for us." _The Bear suggested.

"_Or perhaps he has found us." _The Leopard said.

"_We heard his voice, and so we came to look." _The Fox said.

"_Is it you?"_ The Cobra asked.

"I'm sorry but, I don't know who you're referring to. I'm here on a mission of my own. I'm looking for someone called the Traveler. He came here carrying another Keyblade." Xehanort said to the orbs.

"_You're the first we've seen." _The Leopard said.

"_Save for our Master." _The Fox said.

"_But we have not seen him." _The Cobra added.

"_We have only heard his call." _The Bear said.

"_You have seen him." _The Unicorn said, as Xehanort looked at them, confused.

"I have? Could you be referring to Master Yen Sid? Talw Yen Sid?" he asked.

"_That was not his name." _The Bear replied.

"_But you bear his mark." _The Cobra added.

"_His Gazing Eye. It's embedded on your Keyblade." _The Unicorn said.

"_We know not its significance." _The Leopard said.

"_Only that it represented our Master." _The Fox added as Xehanort looked at the Gazing Eye on his Keyblade.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know your Master or the person you're looking for. I'm here searching for someone else. Someone else with a Keyblade, one that can control Time?" Xehanort said.

"_We don't know anyone like that." _The Leopard replied.

"_But a Keyblade like that-…" _the Cobra said.

"_-…could it be?" _the Bear asked.

"_The weapon that consumed us?" _the Fox asked.

"_It may very well be it." _The Unicorn said.

"_**The χ-Blade."**_ They all replied in unison.

"The χ-Blade? I've heard of this weapon. It's legend to hold the power of Kingdom Hearts itself." Xehanort asked.

"_It is. But creating it comes at a cost."_ The Unicorn replied.

"_We each tried to create it on our own and we each failed." _The Fox replied.

"_It is the only key that can open the Door." _The Leopard added.

"_The Door to Light." _The Cobra said.

"_Or the Door to Darkness." _The Bear said.

"_We don't know which it opens._" The Fox said.

"_But we know something is hidden there. Something hidden away by our Master for safekeeping." _The Cobra said as Xehanort arched a curious eyebrow.

"And what is that?" he asked. The orbs were silent for a moment.

"_**Hope."**_They replied.

"_Is it you?" _the Bear asked.

"I already told you, I'm not the person you're looking for." Xehanort said.

"_Not the Sixth but the Three." _The Cobra said.

"The Three?" Xehanort asked, confused.

"_The Book told us of a Trinity. The Three. The Three as One." _The Unicorn said.

"_The One that would End the Suffering of those Who Suffer."_ The Bear added.

"_The One that Would Come to Free Them from Their Torment." _The Leopard said.

"_The One our Master said would come." _The Cobra said.

"_The One who would End."_ The Fox said, peaking Xehanort's interest.

"Tell me more of this…Three as One." Xehanort said but the orbs fell silent for a moment.

"_That is all we know." _The Unicorn answered.

"_We know not when they will come, nor from where." _The Leopard said.

"_Just that they will." _The Fox said.

"_They will come, when the Thirteen have Awoken." _The Bear said.

"_But for now, we wait." _The Cobra said as the orbs started to drift away from him.

"Wait for what?" Xehanort asked. The orbs didn't stop but they did give one final answer…

"_**Chaos."**_ They replied before vanishing. The world within the Tempest then shifted away in multiple directions, revealing the entire chamber to be nothing but more of the strange glass caverns of the Tempest. Xehanort looked around before seeing a path arching towards his left. He quietly started to walk onward, continuing his search for the Traveler, not noticing his reflection in the floor below depicted a much older man, walking in a forward hunch.

…

Elsewhere in the Tempest, Eraqus continued walking through the glass caverns, occasionally looking at the strange reflections in the glass. As he walked, he soon heard a ticking sound ahead of him, the ticking of a small clock. He rounded a corner and saw a hooded figure in a black coat walking past ahead of him, looking at a pocket watch in hand.

"Professor?" he asked but the figure didn't hear him or ignored him. Eraqus hurried towards him but when he rounded the corner, he found no one there. But he did find himself inside of what appeared to be the throne room of the Land of Departure. The room was strangely shifting back and forth, changing shape from the friendly and welcoming throne room into a sterile white throne room. Eraqus looked around in confusion as he entered the room. As he did, he saw a reflection appearing on a wall opposite him. He couldn't make it out but as he got closer, the reflection shrank in size before becoming a bright yellow star that seemed to glow, hovering in front of him as it slowly spun around. He looked at the star curiously.

"_Hello."_ The star greeted with the voice of a young girl. Eraqus was startled for a moment.

"H-Hello?" he greeted back, confused.

"_Don't be afraid. I'm not." _The Star said as Eraqus scratched his head.

"Who are you?" Eraqus asked.

"_A Legacy." _The Star replied.

"A Legacy?" he asked back confused.

"_That's right. I am a Heart that hasn't been born yet. Not in your time anyway. I wanted to meet you at least this once." _The Star said as Eraqus smiled at it curiously.

"Me? Why?" he asked.

"_Because the next time we meet, our positions will be reversed. I will have been born, and you will be the Heart." _The Star said as Eraqus looked at her curiously, kneeling down slightly so he was eye level with the Star.

"I'm not sure I understand." Eraqus said.

"_Mmm, I'm not sure how I can explain it. All I know is, that I won't get to meet you in person, so this will have to do. But don't be sad, although our roles will reverse in time, we will meet again." _The Star said as Eraqus smiled at her.

"How will I know you when I can't even see your face." Eraqus said. The Star giggled before answering.

"_You will know my name. You will know who and what I am. But I won't know you, not at first. I won't even remember this encounter. But in my heart, I will want to know you. But in life, neither of us will meet."_ The Star said as it started to slowly fade away.

"You're fading." He said worriedly.

"_It's okay. I'm fading on my own. I've said what I needed and wanted to. So now the rest is up to you…Eraqus." _She said before fading away completely. Eraqus stood upright and looked around before noticing the shifting castles had stopped and reverted to the normal crystalline glass caverns of the Tempest, one path branching off into another corridor. Eraqus proceeded down this path for a moment longer before he reached an intersection were two corridors met and passed through one another. As he approached the intersection, he saw another figure walking past from his left, again carrying a pocket watch as they walked past.

"Hey! You! Stop!" Eraqus called as he ran after the figure but the figure kept on, vanishing around the corner. Again when Eraqus reached the corner, the figure was gone again only now he found himself in a place completely foreign to him. It appeared to be the back garden of a large mansion with a tall steeple at the front. A gazebo sat nearby while the reflections of dark clouds appeared in the "sky" overhead. There was an occasional boom of thunder and distant flash of lightning as he walked through the garden. He looked and saw someone kneeling near a bed of roses around the gazebo, smelling the flowers.

"Excuse me!" he called. The figure rose with a start and looked towards him curiously and suspiciously. At this point he could make out the figure's features. The figure was a young woman, somewhere in her pre-teens or early-teens with long red hair that framed her face and two long ponytails down the back that reached past her waist, with two red bows near the base of the ponytails. She had fair skin and teal colored eyes. She wore a white dress with black straps that fell over her shoulders and tied together in a bow on the front. She also wore matching sleeves on both arms and a pair of thigh-high white boots to match. Her entire form seemed to glow with an aura of golden light and her heart could be seen clearly through her chest, her heart glowing with light.

"_Good day."_ she greeted, unsure of Eraqus.

"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." Eraqus said as she put her hands behind her back, apprehensively, looking around at her surroundings.

"_This place…it looks real, but it isn't exactly. It's a mirage. But you look real. Are you?" _she asked but Eraqus looked himself over.

"I would assume so." He replied. She smiled a little.

"_Then, do you know where we are?" _she asked as Eraqus scratched his head a little.

"The Realm of Time would be my best answer, but we just call it the Tempest." Eraqus replied as the girl looked down at the roses.

"_Time? Is that what I am then? Lost to time? But then how-…" _she pondered aloud, kneeling down and gently caressing one of the roses that had bloomed.

"Perhaps. But what are you doing here?" he asked but the girl smiled.

"_Waiting."_ She replied.

"For what?" Eraqus asked but she shook her head.

"_Not what. Who. I'm waiting for someone." _She replied. Eraqus chuckled a little and shrugged.

"Alright, then who are you waiting for?" he asked but she shrugged.

"_One who is lost. One who seeks what they believe is lost. One believed lost." _She replied as Eraqus scratched his head, puzzled by her words.

"Do you know their name?" he asked but she shook her head.

"_Mmm-mmm. I don't know their name. I only know that they will be the one to help me find the people I am looking for." _She replied.

"So you're waiting for someone while also looking for someone else?" Eraqus asked as the girl pondered his words for a moment before nodding.

"_Yes. Someone I was close to long ago, someone who was hurt by my departure, is looking for me, looking for why I left…and for who took me away." _She explained. Eraqus looked at her pityingly.

"How do you know someone's looking for you?" he asked. She smiled and looked at the roses.

"_These were my favorite flower. The person looking for me knew it was. This world…it's not one I'm familiar with. I…think it's one I will see one day, once the person I'm waiting for has arrived. These roses, they were planted by the one looking for me…so the person I wait for will find me in the future." _She said.

"I think I understand. Maybe I could help you find the people looking for you, or maybe the person who ki-…I mean took you away." Eraqus said but the girl looked uncomfortable, almost scared.

"_The person who took me away is…I heard his voice just before you arrived. I thought that maybe-…" _She said before shaking her head and then looked at him.

"_Maybe it was just my imagination." _She said as Eraqus looked at her with a smile.

"Then I hope you find both the person you're waiting for and the person looking for you. And I hope the person that took you away doesn't find you again." Eraqus said but she smiled appreciatively.

"_Thank you. And I hope you find what you're looking for too." _She said before her body faded away, leaving her heart to flutter away into the air, disappearing through a small hole in the glass walls. The world projected around him then shifted away partially, leaving only the back door to the mansion behind. Eraqus looked at the doors curiously and approached them, pushing them open. He walked through the doors and found himself in yet another place that seemed completely foreign to him. The room was a simple square room made of dark grey-blue stone bricks. On the right hand side were large clockwork gears that had fallen still. To the left was a large round table with five chairs. Books of all sorts were stacked and piled up in corners while a desk and chair directly in front of him sat with five identical books in blue-grey hard covers on top of the desk. The chair was pulled out and sitting sideways to the desk, the desk to its right. Light was streaming into the room from a pink stained glass window above the desk, the window depicting several stars. A couple other windows had the same pattern but were purple, red, teal, or yellow. Several light fixtures hung on the walls, illuminating the room. Eraqus looked around the room curiously, not recognizing it at all.

"Ah, finally, the messenger arrives." A familiar voice said behind him as he heard the door close. Eraqus spun around to see someone he wasn't expecting…

"Professor Co?" Eraqus asked as he saw the Time Traveler standing behind him. Co smiled and shook his head.

"Yes and no." He replied but his voice was suddenly different. It seemed similar to that of a young child's voice.

"What's happened to your voice?" Eraqus asked, confused. He recoiled a little when he saw several large and unnatural cracks appear on Co's body, coupled with the sound of cracking glass.

"My disguise is just wearing off, that's all. Don't worry. The Master said to expect it." Co said before his entire body shattered into small white shards. Eraqus shielded his eyes from the explosion. When he turned back he saw something peculiar that confused him. Floating down towards the ground was what, at first glance, appeared to be a plush toy of grey tabby cat with dark grey stripes and a large spherical head, stubby arms, and short tail. It had narrow blue eyes, wore a small white cape with high collar and blue lining, while also wearing a pink coin-purse with a blue star-like emblem on the front.

"What are you?" Eraqus asked, kneeling down to the small creature.

"The name's Chirithy. Sorry about the disguise, Master Eraqus, but the Master said I had to wear it whenever I went outside the Tempest." The creature said.

"Master?" Eraqus asked before feeling a tapping on his shoulder. He looked and saw a tall figure in a black coat standing next to him, bent over to one side so that they were almost eye level.

"Hey there." The figure greeted with a man's voice. Eraqus staggered back with the Tempus Fugit Keyblade in hand and pointed at him.

"Whoa! Who are you?! What's going on?!" Eraqus asked as the hooded man laughed and waved his hands defensively.

"Easy there Eraqus, we're friends, I promise you." The man said as Eraqus calmed down a little.

"Then who are you?" he asked.

"My name isn't one you'd recognize. But I've had several titles throughout history. Your master, Talw, for example, he knew me by one such title." the man said as he headed for the desk, sat down, and looked at Eraqus.

"And that title was…" Eraqus said as the man reclined in his seat.

"I'm the Master of Masters, and I'd like to tell you about your role. The role of the Messenger."

* * *

**End Chapter 33**

I would like to take this opportunity to make a few confirmations: The five orbs Xehanort spoke with are indeed the spirits of Ira, Aced, Gula, Invi, and Ava, the Five Foretellers from Union-χ. The girl Eraqus spoke with is indeed the spirit of Strelitzia, also from Union-χ. Yes, Professor Co has actually been Chirithy in disguise the whole time, and yes that's the Master of Masters in the flesh speaking to Eraqus right now.

As for the Nameless Star, that's my little secret for now.


	34. The Tempest - Part 2

(A/N: A good ambience track for this chapter would be "Case of Foretellers" from Union-χ Back Cover. This is one you'll have to look online for).

"Messenger?" Eraqus asked, confused as the Master gave a nod.

"That's right. You've got a role to play in the prophecy." The Master explained, standing up and picking up one of the five identical books next to him.

"What prophecy?" Eraqus asked as Chirithy hobbled over towards the round table next to him, hopping up onto the table.

"The Prophecies of the Past." Chirithy said.

"Chirithy, what did we say about spoilers?" The Master asked in a gently scolding tone as Chirithy put its hands over its "mouth."

"Oops." It replied. The Master merely pet its head a little.

"Adorable, isn't it? I made Chirithy, lots of 'em, a long time ago, to help guide the Keyblade Wielders of the past. But over time, they were lost along with their Wielders. This Chirithy is the last one. The last of its kind. Assigned to a wielder that was lost to time." The Master said, tousling Chirithy's head, earning appreciative chuckles and giggles from the small spirit.

"They're very useful too as observers and agents. I sent this one to keep an eye on you and your Fiancée. It thought it was there to try and keep that Sorceress, Ultimecia, from messing up the timeline but I knew you guys could handle her. I knew you would." The Traveler said, moving to sit down again, flipping open the book in his hand.

"But…then what happened to Professor Co?" Eraqus asked.

"There never was a Professor Co. That was the role Chirithy played in this. It was my little helper throughout all this. Forgive it. It's wanted to meet you for some time so I occasionally let it out to have some fun and do some things for me." The Master explained as Eraqus looked at Chirithy curiously, the spirit nodding in agreement with the Master, reaching into its pouch and pulling out Co's pocket watch. The face of which wasn't a clock at all but another of the Master's Gazing Eyes.

"So what exactly is going on? What's been happening in my worlds, my time?" Eraqus asked as The Master sighed a little.

"It's going to take a minute to explain all this, so get comfy." The Master said as he set the book down on the desk.

"What's happened in your worlds are things that relate to events that have and will happen in the future. Think of it like…a game of chess, except the game hasn't started yet. The board is in place but the pieces haven't been set. What's happened is, the pieces are being set on the board so that the game can begin. There are events that are supposed to happen, foretold even." The Master explained as Eraqus arched a curious eyebrow.

"Foretold…wait, are you a Foreteller?" he asked but the Master sat back with a sigh.

"Ah, the Foretellers. Strange individuals with knowledge of the future. Known for causing great calamities such as the Keyblade War. It's true but false all the same. They have knowledge of the future, sure, but not because they could see the future, not on their own. That's where these came in." The Master said, holding up the book on the desk. The book had what looked like a Mark of Mastery insignia on it but more ornate and in white on the cover.

"What is that?" Eraqus asked.

"This is the Book of Prophecies. In it, I recorded the events of what I saw happening in the future. And no, I'm not a Foreteller. No one can see the future, not naturally. Not even your Fiancée or her sister. Nope, they all had help. Even I had to kinda game the system." The Master said, setting the Book of Prophecies down.

"For the Five, it was the Book of Prophecies. The book which gave them vague ideas of what would happen in the future, the book that foretold of a Keyblade War and what would come after it. For Lillian and Millicent, it was that." The Master said, pointing at the Keyblade in Eraqus's hand, the one forged from Millicent's Heart.

"This?" he asked, confused.

"When they were born, I placed those Keys into their Hearts. Those Keyblades bear my Gazing Eye, allowing me to witness everything they do, to watch and observe them from here, the Tempest. But by design, the link works both ways. I was able to feed them visions of the future as well as some visions of the past. They don't actually have the power to see the Future, not naturally. This isn't the first time I've sent a Gazing Eye or two out into the worlds. There's still a few floating around out there. Your friend, Xehanort, he has one, but his…well, his was passed down by someone else." The Master explained as Eraqus looked at the Keyblade in his hand in shock.

"Then Lillian's visions…they're all a lie?" Eraqus asked but the Master shook his head.

"No they're real. Real and accurate. The visions themselves aren't lies, just how they have them that's a lie. If I were to remove that Keyblade from Lillian's heart, she wouldn't have any more visions. When their Hearts were unlocked, it freed those Keyblades from their hearts. And don't worry, Lillian can be saved, and she will. Her heart is simply trapped within the Keyblade I gave her. If you want to free it, you have to destroy the Keyblade that carries it. Like cracking open a walnut, the nut inside is safe but the shell is destroyed." The Master said as Eraqus gave a nod and turned towards the door.

"Then I need to go to her and save her before her body-…" Eraqus said but Chirithy quickly blocked his path.

"Wait! You can't go yet!" Chririthy said.

"But Lillian's body is-…" "Not going anywhere. This is the Realm of Time. millisecond in the Realms of Light and Darkness seems like an eternity in here. You could spend a lifetime here and return to right back where you were as if no time had passed at all. Her body isn't going anywhere, and neither is her heart." The Master said as Eraqus turned back towards him.

"Then why keep me here?" he asked as the Master stood up.

"I already told you. You have a role to play. Man you really could stand to listen a little better." The Master said as Eraqus sighed in minor frustration.

"Alright then, what's my Role? You said I'm some kind of messenger?" Eraqus asked but the Master chuckled a little.

"Yep but you're an interesting kind of Messenger. You are a Messenger that doesn't have to speak to carry his message. You just have to be here to hear the message for the message to be heard." The Master said as Eraqus furrowed his brow.

"I don't understand." He said.

"You don't have to. Like I said, all you have to do, is be here. The message isn't for you anyway. It's for someone else. You're more of a…conduit I suppose. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to start this message." The Master said as Eraqus sighed, shrugged, and gave a nod.

"Alright." He said. The Master then proceeded to put his hands behind his back and moved to face the stilled cog wheels in his chamber. In the Disneylahn reading room in the present however, the entire world projected from the book vanished, leaving the Master of Masters standing alone before Aqua, Terra, Ven, Axel, and everyone in the reading room. The Master leaned forward towards Aqua, a hand inside his hood as if rubbing his unseen chin.

"You know I've always wondered where you got that hair of yours." He said as Aqua gasped in surprise.

"You can see us?!" she asked as the Master made a calming gesture.

"Yep. Hear you too. This is the part you've all been waiting for. The big question of why this book was written. Why you're reading it now. Exciting isn't it?" the Master asked as the whole room looked on in surprise. Even Shantotto was impressed.

"So all that's happened was so you could talk to us?" Terra asked but the Master gave a slight shrug.

"That's a bit unfair. Everything that's happened was meant to. I can't control Time. I'm not that powerful. I've only acted when destined to. Sending Chirithy out as Professor Co for example and this conversation here have been my biggest moves. Everything else however has happened on its own. Ultimecia, The Displaced, Xehanort, the Unversed, the Heartless, Maleficent, Organization XIII…even the Neo-Beings and the Sisterhood, the whole shebang. I've pretty much been a quiet observer. You all deserve props for your parts though. You've played them all beautifully…but…" the Master said, putting his hands behind his back.

"…a time's about to arrive, that will test you. The battle lines are drawn. Both sides at full strength. What happened before is about to happen again." The Master explained as he turned and looked over Mickey, Oswald, Terra, Aqua, Ven, and Axel.

"What is it?" Ven asked as the Master looked at him.

"Chaos. Discord. Death. Darkness. All the challenges you have faced up to this point have been but trials compared to this. The suffering of all will be revealed and soon, they will end." The Master said before turning away slightly.

"They say that for every Age of Light, there is an Age of Darkness that follows. A cycle. That's true to a point. There are cycles of Light and Darkness. That doesn't change. What changes is the duration. An Age of Darkness is coming. It will happen. But the question will be, 'for how long?'" The Master asked aloud before looking the room over.

"The other variable? Which of you will survive to hear the answer?" The Master asked before turning and walking almost aimlessly across the room.

"Then why tell us? Wouldn't knowing this give us an unfair advantage?" Terra asked as the Master stopped.

"Actually, it's evening the scales. And if any rules are being broken it's on my end. It's the least I can do after all." He muttered.

"What do you mean?" Aqua asked. The Master let out an audible sigh of sadness.

"Xehanort said that the Foretellers were responsible for the Keyblade War. Well that's only true up to a point. I wrote the Book of Prophecies using the knowledge of the future I had acquired. I told them what would happen in the hopes that such a future would be averted. But I assigned a role to the wrong person. And in the process, I allowed countless lives to be lost. To paraphrase the Traveler who seems to favor this philosophy, I created what I dreaded. I sought out the Tempest to undo the mistakes of my past, but when I found out I couldn't change my past, I chose to make sure no one could change the future, as the future held the best hope of fixing my mistakes. It's the only way to make sure those lost because of my foolishness can find peace." The Master said as everyone looked at him curiously.

"What's that mean?" Ven asked. The Master turned towards him, leaning over slightly to one side with his hands behind his back.

"Now-now, that's spoiling. You've got your roles to play. So get out there, break a leg, figuratively-speaking-of-course, and win one for the ol' team! Naturally there's more to this story. More answers to be found besides the ones given here. But those aren't for me to give. So for now, I leave you with this. May your Heart be your Guiding Key." The Master said before the Foreteller's Chamber returned, revealing a confused looking Eraqus standing with his arms crossed in the center of the room while Chirithy stood on the table nearby. The Master then turned back and moved to face Eraqus.

"I'm done now." He said. Eraqus looked at him with concern.

"How…long have you been stuck here?" he asked, suspicious of the Master's sanity.

"I've been trapped here for eternity, for ten thousand years! It gives you such a crick in the neck!" The Master cried overdramatically. He then looked at Eraqus with a snort of laughter.

"Nah, just kidding. I've not been 'trapped' here at all. I can leave whenever I want. And that thing about the Tempest being hard to access? Nope, all wrong. Anyone with sufficient knowledge and skill with Time Magic can open the door to this place. Just like the Corridors of Light and Darkness, you just need to know what to do and how. But what I did was give you a temporary key to open the door." The Master said as Eraqus looked at the Tempus Fugit-D in his hand.

"So, what will happen when I destroy the Keyblade forged from Lilly's heart?" Eraqus asked.

"Because her body still survives, her heart will return to it and she will be restored. Even the Keyblade that granted her the ability to have her visions will return with her. She'll be just like she was before." The Master replied.

"Then what will become of Millicent?" Eraqus asked.

"Gone. Millicent sacrificed her heart willingly and out of love for her sister. She chose to pass on to the Final World in the hopes that Lillian's could be saved, and she can be. Remember what I said." The Master said as Eraqus gave a nod.

"I see. Then, may I ask something?" Eraqus asked.

"I dunno, can you?" the Master asked coyly, causing Chirithy to giggle. Eraqus just rolled his eyes with a smile.

"I mean, if you can see the future, can you tell me if Lilly and I will…" he said as the Master gave a sad sigh.

"Your love for her will never die, Eraqus, and neither of you will be lonely. Except that companionship will not be with each other. But neither of you will move on and find another to love, but a great sea will separate you, with only brief moments together, until you both are permanently reunited in the Final World." The Master said as Eraqus lowered his head in sadness.

"I understand. I guess maybe there was a chance that she was wrong, a hope that I was holding onto like a fool." Eraqus said but the Master put a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it from me, Eraqus. Sometimes a fools hope is the best hope of all. True love can survive any distance, any barrier, any obstacle. You'll learn this to be true in time." The Master said before Eraqus heard the door opening behind him. He turned and saw the caverns of the Tempest beyond the door.

"Oh. One more thing. As much as you might want to, you cannot tell Xehanort anything of our conversation. Nothing, zip, zilch, nada, for the simple fact his role demands he not know about it." The Master said as Eraqus looked at him confused for a moment but then sighed.

"If you say so, but I don't like keeping secrets from my friends." Eraqus said as the Master gave a slow nod.

"I know that. But in this case, Xehanort knowing about this would cause irreparable damage. Now go. Do what you came here to do. Chirithy will guide you from here. As for myself, I have another appointment to keep. May your Heart be your Guiding Key." The Master said as Eraqus calmly nodded and turned to walk on out the door, walking through it and back into the caverns with Chirithy ahead of him. He looked back and saw the door had vanished and all there was, was a dead end. Eraqus smiled and looked back at Chirithy.

"Come on, this way." Chirithy said as he started leading the Keyblade Apprentice on through the corridors on his stubby little feet.

…

(Ambience Cue: My Heart's Descent – DDD)

Elsewhere within the Tempest, Xehanort continued to wander the corridors in his search for The Traveler. He soon entered a large, tall, cylindrical chasm, with several bridges made of the strange glass substance spanning across the chasm at different levels. Xehanort looked around but continued on anyway. As he did, he happened a glance down to his right and spotted a figure in a black coat crossing the bridge immediately beneath his, carrying the Tempus Fugit Keyblade at his side. Xehanort realized immediately who it was.

"Traveler!" he called, the figure spinning around and looking up in time to see Xehanort drop down onto the same bridge, the class cracking slightly on impact.

"How did you get here without the key?!" The Traveler asked, defensively.

"Tagged a ride with Eraqus. He has the Key made from Millicent's Heart, one she surrendered willingly." Xehanort said as the Traveler started backing away from him.

"So Millicent is dead then? Good, then another problem has taken care of itself. My Master will be pleased with my work." The Traveler said as Xehanort scowled at him.

"Might I be permitted an educated guess as to the nature of your work?" he asked, summoning his Guardian Armor.

"By all means." The Traveler said as they stepped away from the cracking bridge and into another corridor.

"Predestination. You came here not to hunt potential threats to you at all. You came here to make sure certain events happened. First: Master Ory held the secret locations of the Dandelions, as did you, and had taken one as his own apprentice. An orphan. I'm willing to bet that in your time, Ory was not the one who trained her. Instead she was trained by someone else. Thus Ory had to be eliminated so her training would not be under him." Xehanort said as the Traveler backed away into a branching corridor, glancing behind him periodically to make sure he wasn't headed for a dead end.

"Master Yen Sid was her Master in my time. So far, so good." The Traveler replied.

"Second: The other Dandelions, the boy and the girl. Master Yen Sid would not have allowed them taken in to be trained if their parents were still alive. It could potentially upset the world order. That's why the rule is usually to only take orphans in that have been chosen by the Keyblade. In your time, they have become Keyblade Apprentices under someone's teachings. Eliminating their parents guarantees their being taken in." Xehanort said as they backed into a large almost domed chamber. The walls and ceiling darkened and the floor became brown dirt as the mirage of a desolate world shifted into focus around them.

"Those two are important to my Master, one in particular. But you are correct so far. Two for two." The Traveler said as they both stopped, staring each other down.

"Third: Oswald's brother. Unlike the other two cases, his training could commence at any time, but he needed to have his powers awaken sooner rather than later." Xehanort said but the Traveler gave a shrug on this one.

"Them I'm not so sure about. My Master didn't mention much about the Brother Kings. The older one isn't or hasn't become an issue for my Master but the other one is still in training as far as I am aware." The Traveler said as Xehanort gave a conceding nod.

"Then we'll count that one as a draw. Fourth is Millicent and Lillian: Neither of them have a place in your time but one was more pliable than the other and had potential as a pawn. The other was an obstacle in yours or your Master's path. You needed both to be eliminated but one to open the Tempest." Xehanort explained as the Traveler gave a nod.

"Three for three. You're doing good. My Master said either would die for the other, willing to sacrifice themselves so the other would live. Such is their bond. And as one from their homeworld might say, it is a dreadful bond at that." The Traveler said as Xehanort looked down his nose at him as they started to circle each other in a clockwise direction, their Keyblades in their right hands.

"Five and Six are the points I'm most unsure of. Fifth is Eraqus, Master Yen Sid, and myself. You seem to have avoided even trying to kill us. You've retreated every time or not taken openings that presented themselves. This tells me that the three of us are important to your timeline somehow. How exactly eludes me." Xehanort said as the Traveler chuckled.

"I'll be nice and give you that one. You are important, but you'll forgive me if I don't say how." The Traveler said as Xehanort gave a polite nod.

"Thank you. Now for the sixth and final point. The Tempest. You came here seeking something. I don't believe it's your way back. I think you're basically acting like a dishonest student, attempting to peek at the answers before an exam. You want to find out how the future plays out for you and your Master." Xehanort said as the Traveler laughed delightedly.

"Well done Master Xehanort. You've figured it all out. However, the Tempest is not exactly…cooperative. I've been wandering for an hour and found nothing to speak of interest to me. But I have found a few interesting items from your future." The Traveler said as Xehanort narrowed his eyes at him.

"I will thank you to keep it yourself. I'd rather let my future be either a pleasant surprise or an unfortunate disappointment. The mystery of it all adds a little…spice." Xehanort said but the Traveler chuckled darkly, Tempus Fugit starting to glow.

"Oh I find this one particularly interesting. Let's just say there's someone from your future who has quite the grudge against you. Care to meet him?" the Traveler asked, as Xehanort narrowed his gaze. The Traveler turned and stabbed the Keyblade into the ground, causing the floor to crack but not break. Jets of brown dust started billowing from the cracks, creating a plume of dust. Xehanort quickly dropped into a defensive stance, watching as the Traveler stepped out from behind the plume as it kept billowing. Finally the dust started to settle, revealing something that Xehanort didn't recognize, but to Aqua and Terra in the present, they both looked on in surprise.

"Hey, Terra, isn't that your-…" Ven said.

"Uh-huh." Terra replied, his eyes wide and a look of shock and disbelief on his face.

"Do you remember ever arriving the-…" Aqua said but Terra shook his head.

"Nuh-uh." He replied as they saw Terra's Keyblade Armor, knelt down on one knee, his Keyblade, Ends of the Earth, standing in the ground with its hands on the pommel, its head bowed and cape flapping from a sourceless wind.

"_Xe-ha-nort…is that you?" _a strange voice asked. To most listeners, the voice was nothing more than a strange hollow metallic sound but the words still managed to ring through clearly. The armor started to raise its head towards Xehanort.

"_Xeha-nort." _The voice said but in a lower and angrier tone as it started to stand up (Battle Music Cue: Rage Awakened – Any version: KH2 Final Mix, BBS, or KH2 Remix).

"_Xehanort!" _the voice said as it grabbed the Keyblade by the handle, pulling it from the ground, dropping into Terra's fighting stance. Xehanort looked at the armor confused but stood ready for a fight nonetheless.

"Looks like you're not going to leave me any choice, but to face my future head-on." Xehanort mused dryly as he summoned an Ethereal Blade to his hand, standing ready to fight.

* * *

**End Chapter 34**

The final battle has begun.

And technically the official name for Terra's Armor is the "Lingering Will" but I dislike that name. It doesn't quite have the same finesse as "Lingering Sentiment" so that's what we'll be calling it in this universe (or at least continue calling it since that's what it was referred to as in the earlier RKH stories). We're also assuming the Sentiment doesn't speak normally like as depicted in some cutscenes, but instead communicates through the strange hollow metallic sounds as seen in the KH2 Final Mix cutscenes.


	35. Past vs Future

(Battle Music Cue: Rage Awakened – Any version: KH2 Final Mix, BBS, or KH2 Remix)

Xehanort stood staring down the Lingering Sentiment with a scowl as the Traveler stepped back and away from the two. Xehanort decided to make the first move, sending his Guardian Armor flying towards the Sentiment with a fist reared back but the Sentiment seemed to take a single swing of its Keyblade, but in truth it sent out a flurry of swings so fast that only the streaks of light reflected off the Keyblade as it swung could be seen. The Guardian Armor was struck multiple times, creating a loud metal-on-metal racket and sending the armor flying. Xehanort was taken by surprise by the ferocity of the move but had little time to react as the Sentiment came flying towards him. Xehanort barely had time to spin clear, leaping into the air and spinning towards the Sentiment who spun towards him.

"Begone!" Xehanort yelled, summoning a wall of Ethereal Blades behind him, firing a barrage of the blades towards the Sentiment. The Sentiment instead took off running, dashing forward and nimbly leaping up onto a small ledge on the wall and using it to leap up towards Xehanort, Keyblade drawn back for another attack. Xehanort scowled as the armor brought its Keyblade around for another swing but instead struck a Guard Wall, causing it to recoil. Xehanort smirked and launched forward, lashing the armor up the chest twice, first with the Ethereal Blade in his off hand, and second with his Keyblade before bringing both down on its head, sending it flying down into the ground, a cloud of blue dust erupting from the ground and a huge crack spreading across the ground on impact. Xehanort landed nearby, standing at the ready.

"_XE-HA-NORT!" _the Sentiment roared as the dust started to settle, revealing the Sentiment with what appeared to be a massive cannon on its shoulder. It was Terra's Ultima Cannon Shotlock. Xehanort's eyes widened in alarm and he quickly ran clear just before the Sentiment fired off the shotlock, the red cannon ball crashing into the wall with a blinding light, the force of the blast sending more cracks into the walls and floor. Despite this, nothing shattered. Xehanort quickly rushed in towards the Sentiment which turned and blocked the Keyblade Master's attack, their blades pressing against one another's.

"I'm getting…the feeling that you don't like me." Xehanort grunted as he pushed against the Sentiment but the Sentiment didn't respond. The Sentiment was suddenly grabbed from behind by the Guardian Armor, being held in a tight bearhug. The Sentiment struggled as Xehanort smirked at it and reared back his Keyblade to attack when the Sentiment suddenly broke free with a powerful shockwave of dark magic.

"_XEHA-NORT!"_ the Sentiment roared as it dropped to the ground, reared back its Keyblade and slammed it down onto the ground, sending a line of sharp jagged earthen spikes to barrel towards Xehanort who blocked with a guard wall. The Sentiment came charging forward towards the wall as it vanished. The Sentiment then came to a stop with its Keyblade held across and down at its left side as petals of pink energy floated around it. Xehanort recognized the move immediately.

"Zantetzukan!" he exclaimed, quickly leaping clear just seconds before the Sentiment blew past, its Keyblade held out to the side, just missing Xehanort who turned with his Keyblade ready to fight back. The Sentiment turned and glared at him again.

"_XEHANORT!" _The armor roared before launching at the Keyblade Master again with its Keyblade raised. Xehanort stood ready to defend, defiant and ready to fight back when…

"Xehanort!" a familiar voice called as a familiar suit of armor leapt in between Xehanort and the approaching Sentiment. It was Eraqus in his armor. The Sentiment brought its Keyblade around to strike as Eraqus moved to block but the Sentiment suddenly froze mid-swing (End Battle Music). They looked and saw the Sentiment standing perfectly still. It's cape still fluttered slightly but it otherwise didn't move. Finally the Sentiment pulled its Keyblade back, standing to stare at the two, namely at Eraqus.

"_Mas…ter." _The Sentiment said, staring at Eraqus for a moment before planting its Keyblade into the ground immediately in front of it before dropping down onto one knee, placing its hands on the pommel of its Keyblade and bowing its head. The armor remained in this position for a moment before a plume of brown dust erupted from beneath it, consuming the armor within it. When the plume cleared, the Sentiment was gone.

"Who was that?" Eraqus asked as his helmet vanished.

"Not sure. Just someone with a grudge against me if the Traveler's to be believed." Xehanort said as Eraqus shouldered the Tempus Fugit-D on his right shoulder.

"Where is the Traveler anyway?" Eraqus asked as Xehanort looked towards where the Traveler had last been seen and saw he had escaped.

"He's run off. I don't know what he's looking for but he can't have gone far." Xehanort said as Chirithy ran up to them.

"He's trying to catch a glimpse of the future to see how it plays out." Chirirthy said, taking Xehanort by surprise.

"What are you?" Xehanort asked curiously.

"The name's Chirithy, but I don't have time to explain. Come on, I can take you to that Traveler guy." Chirithy said as Eraqus gave Xehanort a reassuring nod. Xehanort shrugged.

"Alright then lead the way." Xehanort said as Chirithy started running towards one of the passages through the Tempest.

"So I've been wondering. What happens if we break some of this glass, even accidently?" Xehanort asked.

"Oh don't worry, nothing happens! This place is kinda like a fancy art gallery. You only see windows into time here. The people you've encountered, like that guy in the armor, are different. They've been lost to time or are waiting for something to happen in the future. It's kinda hard to explain." Chirithy explained as they ran.

"So if we break something here it won't hurt the timeline right?" Eraqus asked.

"That's right." Chirithy replied as they rounded a corner and saw a large cavern ahead of them, the Traveler standing, looking around ahead of them.

"This is it. Good luck you two." Chirithy said as Xehanort walked on ahead but Eraqus knelt down and pet Chirithy on the head, earning an appreciative cooing from the spirit.

"Thank you, Chirithy, for everything. I hope you find the person you got separated from." Eraqus said as Chirithy gave a nod to him.

"Don't worry about me. I already know he'll show back up again. He won't remember me, but so long as he's okay, I'm content watching him from here." Chirithy said as Eraqus smiled at him.

"I'm glad you have such a positive attitude about it. I hope you get to reunite with him." Eraqus said before standing up and catching up to Xehanort. Chirithy quietly watched them enter the cavern before he turned and walked away. Inside the cavern, the Traveler was looking around and hadn't noticed Xehanort and Eraqus approaching. The cavern was a domelike chamber with no other passages save the one they came in from. As they entered, glass shards began growing over the entrance, sealing them inside.

"Traveler! It's over!" Xehanort said as the Traveler turned towards them with an audible growl of frustration.

"So it would seem. The Tempest has proven to be a complete crock! I've seen nothing of my future. I've only seen things I've already known. I can't find anything that would point me to how my future will play out." The Traveler grumbled.

"Welcome to normalcy. No one save a Foreteller can see the future. Like the rest of us, we just have to take the future as it comes." Eraqus said as Xehanort gave a nod.

"The future is unknowable. All you can do is plan for possible scenarios and hope that you've accounted for every contingency. I can understand the desire for wanting to know how your plans play out. But unfortunately we don't have the luxury of foresight." Xehanort said as the Traveler growled.

"My Master explicitly sent me here to try and find what I could about my future. I've achieved every objective he's given me and yet this one task is proving to be the one that defeats me." The Traveler grumbled.

"It's not the only thing that's going to defeat you." Eraqus said as Xehanort held out his free hand.

"Give us the Keyblade, and we will allow you to return to your time without incident." Xehanort said as the Traveler looked at the Tempus Fugit in his hand for a moment before chuckling to himself.

"Perhaps I wasn't clear. I said I didn't find anything related to my future. Yours on the other hand…" The Traveler said, driving the Keyblade into the ground. The ground didn't crack but the various prisms and surfaces of the room began to shift and distort until they started reflecting what appeared to be a dark shoreline with black rocks and black sands with a single moon reflecting off the water. It was a place the two had only heard rumors of…

…The Dark Margin.

"What is this?" Eraqus asked.

"The Realm of Darkness. Are you trying to imply that our futures end in Darkness?" Xehanort asked as the Traveler gave a light shrug.

"Hard to say. I tried to look into your futures and this is what I saw." The Traveler said as he dropped into a fighting stance, summoning his Demon Gauntlet to his hand (Battle Music Cue: Dismiss – BBS or KH2 Remix).

"As for surrendering the Keyblade…come and take it." He said as Eraqus and Xehanort dropped into fighting stances. The three immediately charged at one another, the Traveler suddenly vanishing in a haze and reappearing to Eraqus's right, the two quickly engaging in a series of rapid strikes. Eraqus however proved the better swordsman and managed to match the Traveler blow-for-blow before Xehanort lunged in and drove the Traveler back. The Traveler raised its clawed hand towards the two of them and fired off a large beam of blue light.

"GUARD!" Xehanort yelled, conjuring a guard wall and deflecting the blast as Eraqus zipped around the wall towards the Traveler who quickly swept the beam around towards him but Eraqus leapt into the air. The Traveler quickly raised his Keyblade to block, the Keyblades ringing out as they struck, causing a shockwave to erupt from them on impact. The World projected around them suddenly shifted to the Throne Room of the Land of Departure. The Traveler glared at Eraqus from beneath his hood.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to break this Keyblade." The Traveler said as Eraqus snarled at him.

"Maybe I am!" he replied, the two rearing back and striking three times at each other before locking blades again. Xehanort quietly circled around to the side, to Eraqus's right and the Traveler's left, waiting for a moment to strike.

"And potentially destroy your last hope of saving your beloved?" the Traveler asked but Eraqus smiled knowingly.

"I think we both know what will happen if I break that Keyblade." Eraqus said as the Traveler's head movements indicated surprise.

"You'd take that risk?" he asked.

"Even if it means never seeing Lillian again, so long as she isn't suffering in your hands!" Eraqus said before leaping back just as Xehanort came flying in with his Ethereal Blades in both hands, striking at the Traveler in a series of rapid strikes. The Traveler leapt back just narrowly dodging the Guardian Armor as it attacked from the side with a Xehanort's Keyblade in hand in a powerful downward swing that struck the ground, cracking the glass floor a little on impact. The Traveler turned to see Eraqus streaming light off his body as he came charging towards him, having activated his Hikari Command Style, zigzagging towards him. The Traveler quickly vanished in a haze, reappearing behind Eraqus but his attempted attack from behind was prevented as Xehanort fired a short volley of Ethereal Blades at him. Eraqus spun around towards the Traveler just as Xehanort moved in to trap the Traveler between them. The Traveler looked back and forth between them before quickly having to use both his Keyblade and his Demon Gauntlet to deflect and parry their attacks.

"Give it up!" Eraqus said as they continued the attack.

"If only you knew what the future held for the two of you!" The Traveler growled towards Eraqus, vanishing in a haze again just in time to dodge another swing from Eraqus which struck the ground, causing the chamber to shift locales again. Now they were back in the Keyblade Graveyard only far off in the distance. The sky was dark and a Heart Shaped moon could be seen overhead. In the distance, they could see flashes of light and hear the sound of metal striking metal along with the occasional blasts of magic power coming from the base of and atop a tall earthen spire. Xehanort and Eraqus saw this battle taking place in the distance but couldn't make out the figures doing battle due to the distance.

"Your futures hold nothing but pain and betrayal! You honestly believe you'll get to spend your days with your beloved Foreteller? I know how it ends!" The Traveler's voice echoed around them but Eraqus turned away with a scowl.

"I know. Lillian herself told me that although our love will not wane, the two of us will not ever be together." Eraqus said as Xehanort looked at him pityingly.

"And you'd rather let her die than use the power of the Tempest to keep her alive? To make it where you both will be together?" The Traveler asked as he appeared nearby, Xehanort and Eraqus turning towards him.

"Lillian wouldn't forgive me if she ever found out I did that. I'd be acting selfish. I'd rather lose her than do anything to destroy our love." Eraqus said as the Traveler shook his head.

"So be it then." He said before thrusting his Demon Gauntlet towards the two, sweeping another beam of energy across towards them but they both rolled out of the way. He then vanished in a haze, reappearing behind Xehanort who glanced over his shoulder just in time to be struck hard in the lower back by a punch from the Traveler.

"AUGH!" Xehanort cried out as he collapsed onto his hands and knees, gritting his teeth in pain as a black flame rose from the place he was struck. The Traveler quickly had to turn and defend just as Eraqus came crashing into him with his Keyblade.

"Augh my back!" Xehanort hissed as he crawled away on one arm while putting a hand to his back, patting out the flame.

"What did you do to him?!" Eraqus asked but the Traveler glanced towards Xehanort as he continued crawling, his Guardian Armor standing guard.

"It looks like…predestination." The Traveler muttered. Eraqus let out an angered yell towards the Traveler and took a swing but the Traveler caught the Keyblade in his Demon Gauntlet, causing him to drop onto one knee from the blow. The Traveler glanced towards Eraqus for a moment before chuckling and tightening his grip, the Tempus Fugit-D cracking in his grip. Eraqus tried to pull free but the Traveler swung at him with his Keyblade, forcing Eraqus to leap back, letting go of the Keyblade. The Traveler laughed as he held the other Keyblade in his grip.

"And now you've lost your grip on Time it seems." The Traveler said, not noticing the wounded Xehanort glaring at him, the Guardian Armor vanishing into the ground.

"Now with both of these Keyblades, perhaps the Tempest will obey my commands!" The Traveler said as the world around them shifted again, beginning to transition to a solid dark area of infinite darkness, a transitional phase in shifting between locales (End Battle Music). The Traveler proceeded to raise both Keyblades and hit them into the ground but nothing happened save for a small crack in the ground. The Traveler looked around but saw nothing.

"What?" he asked, confused. He struck the ground again but all that happened was the world shifted again, returning them to the Keyblade Graveyard, only with storm clouds overhead with the faint rumble of thunder.

"Still it defies me?! How?!" The Traveler asked as Eraqus scowled at him.

"Maybe it isn't the Tempest that defies you." Eraqus said as the Traveler growled and raised both Keyblades into the air with an angry yell but was suddenly grabbed by the wrists from behind.

"What?!" he yelped as the Guardian Armor grabbed onto him, crushing his wrists to force him to drop the Keyblades. The two Keyblades clattered to the ground and suddenly vanished in flashes of light.

"NO!" The Traveler hissed as the Guardian Armor disappeared, returning to its Master as he limped towards Eraqus. Xehanort was standing in a slight forward hunch with a pained expression. The Traveler looked and staggered back slightly as he saw Eraqus and Xehanort both holding the Tempus Fugit Keyblades, Eraqus holding the one formed from Lillian's Heart and Xehanort holding the Tempus Fugit-D.

"What?! How?! How did they answer your calls?!" The Traveler asked as Eraqus looked at the Keyblade in is hand.

"You forgot whose hearts you used to forge them. Their hearts are still within these blades, waiting for us to free them." Eraqus said as he took the Keyblade in both hands, jamming it into the ground in front of him, grabbing hold of the blade by the guards with both hands. The Traveler knew what he was going to do and recoiled in alarm.

"No! Don't-!" He exclaimed but Eraqus twisted the Keyblade with a loud grunt of effort and proceeded to snap the Keyblade in two, shattering it at the center to reveal a heart in the center. The fragments of the Keyblade turned to pure light before flowing into the heart as it floated up into the air. The Heart suddenly let out a shockwave of light before vanishing, the shockwave shaking the whole cavern, causing large chunks of glass to break from above and fall to the ground, shattering on impact. The falling glass created a strange hole in the ceiling.

"What have you done?" Xehanort asked but Eraqus just smiled peacefully.

…

Back in the Keyblade Graveyard, outside of the Tempest, Master Yen Sid remained knelt at Lillian's side, her body still within the dome of light. He suddenly opened his eyes when he heard a strange rumbling sound nearby. He looked to see a small round hole of blue light appear in the air and saw a small comet of light fly out from inside, spiraling around in the air towards them before stopping directly over Lillian's body and then shooting straight down into her chest. Yen Sid watched closely as Lillian's eyes shot open and she took a deep breath, convulsing slightly from the shock.

"Lillian! You're alive! They did it!" Yen Sid said with a grin as the dome of light faded, Lillian sitting up and catching her breath with a hand on her chest and a look of shock. After a moment she looked at Yen Sid, still looking shocked.

"Master." She said as Yen Sid gave a reassuring nod.

"I'm here, Lillian. Take it easy, you've been through a lot." He said as Lillian caught her breath.

"Yes I…I know." She replied as she looked at him worriedly, looking him over.

"Master, there's…something different about you. Are you alright?" she asked as Yen Sid grimaced a little.

"I don't know. I tried to keep the gates to the Tempest open but in doing so, I fear that I've…broken something." He said as Lillian nodded worriedly.

"I know. I can feel it. Your power seems to be…bleeding from you." She said before realization suddenly hit her and she started looking around in alarm.

"Eraqus, Xehanort, they're-…" she said as Yen Sid gave a nod.

"They're in the Tempest right now. They're-…" "They're fighting the Traveler, I know. I saw them. I could see everything." She said as Yen Sid looked at her curiously.

"You did? What did you see?" he asked as a tear ran down Lillian's face.

"I saw everything. And not just what happened in the Tempest, but everything that happens between now and the Traveler's time. Oh Master, we've been betrayed. The Darkness my sister has foreseen, it is coming. And now there is naught we can do to stop it from coming." Lillian said as Yen Sid placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're certain?" he asked, Lillian nodding in response.

"Very…but, I think I know something we can do so that when it arrives, we have a chance of withstanding it." Lillian said as Yen Sid arched a curious eyebrow.

"What is it?" he asked as she looked at him with a serious expression.

"It's drastic, and it will involve no shortage of pain and hardship…but it is what must be done." Lillian said as Yen Sid gave her a stoic nod.

"Whatever I can do to help, name it." He said. She bit her lip in hesitation before leaning in and whispering into her Master's ear. His face scrunched up with curiosity for a moment before a sad tear formed and rolled down his cheek. She then sat back and looked at her worriedly.

"You're certain?" he asked as she gave a nod.

"Very." She said. He then took a breath and rose to his feet, his Keyblade in both hands.

"Very well. I'll miss you, Lillian. You and your sister were fine students." He said as Lillian rose to her feet, standing in front of him.

"And you were as fine a father as either of us could've had." She replied with a caring smile.

"May your Heart be your Guiding Key…Master Lillian." He said as she smiled tearfully. He then pressed the tip of his Keyblade against her chest as a bright light formed that enveloped them both. When the light faded, Yen Sid stood alone in the Keyblade Graveyard, his Keyblade at his side, a sad smile on his face. He looked at his Keyblade, noticing a small chink in the shaft that hadn't been there before. He sighed, recognizing the toll his overuse of power had taken. He then looked to his right towards the sky, towards where the Tempest Gate had been.

"Eraqus, Xehanort, the future depends on you." He muttered softly.

…

Back within the Tempest, Eraqus had just shattered the Tempus Fugit, freeing Lillian's Heart from within the Keyblade and causing part of the chamber they were in to rain large shards of glass upon them but neither Eraqus, Xehanort, nor the Traveler were harmed by the falling glass.

"What have you done?!" The Traveler asked.

"Freed Lillian's Heart. Don't ask me how I know, I just do." Eraqus replied as he summoned his Keyblade back to his hand. Xehanort stood holding Tempus Fugit-D as the Traveler growled in anger, clinching his fists before letting out a sigh of frustration.

"So be it. You've won. I will concede." The Traveler said as the two looked at him suspiciously.

"Just like that? How stupid do you think we are?" Eraqus asked but the Traveler turned away, his Demon Gauntlet fading away.

"I did what was instructed of me. I accomplished all of my tasks, save for one. This mission, the mission to learn the outcome of all mine and my Master's efforts and planning, will have to be learned the normal way. In my time, the Foretellers are extinct, and with them, the door to the Tempest is forever blocked. That is why I was sent back in time by my Master. To a time where two Foretellers existed. But with the both of them dead and the Key in the hands of those who would stop me, the door is forever closed to us." The Traveler said before putting his hands behind his back.

"So while I fail this objective, my other objectives are accomplished. The board has been set for the future to play out as desired. To that end, this victory, although pyrrhic, is mine." The Traveler said as he summoned his Keyblade and turned away, pointing it straight out to his right. His Keyblade glowed a little before a small beam of blue light shot from the tip and struck something in midair, opening a round blue portal. The Traveler looked at Eraqus and Xehanort one last time.

"Masters, I bid you both farewell." He said before walking through the portal that closed behind him. Eraqus and Xehanort looked around but saw nothing. The chamber shifted back to its normal glass cavern. Xehanort then let out a gasp in pain and dropped to one knee, dropping the Keyblade in the process. Eraqus quickly knelt down at his side.

"Are you alright?" he asked as Xehanort shuddered in pain.

"My back. It still burns. Ah!" he grunted. Eraqus picked him up under the arms, throwing Xehanort's right arm around his neck before picking up the Tempus Fugit-D.

"Come on. Let's go home." Eraqus said as he looked around.

"How do you propose we do that?" Xehanort asked. Eraqus smiled at him and then at the Keyblade in his hand.

"Easy…" he said as the Keyblade started to glow with a white light, emitting a dulcet tone (Ambience Cue: Passion – Orchestral Version – KH2 or KH2 Remix).

"…we'll let our hearts be our guiding key." Eraqus said as the Keyblade proceeded to dissolve into small sparks of light, moving in front of them to form a door made of light.

"The Door to Light." Xehanort said in surprise as Eraqus started to carry him towards the door.

"Our way home." Eraqus replied with a smile. Eraqus glanced back as they approached the door, noticing Chirithy watching them depart from the reopened entrance to the cavern. He also saw the Master of Masters poking his head from around the corner, giving a friendly two-fingered salute before both ducked back behind the corner. Eraqus smiled and looked back ahead as they passed through the Door to Light.

* * *

**End Chapter 35**

What happened to Lillian? You won't have long to find out. The end of this story is just around the corner.


	36. Farewells

(Ambience Cue: Dearly Beloved – KH2 Remix version)

Back in Disneylahn, Eraqus stood before Yen Sid as he sat upon the center throne. Mickey and Oswald stood off to the side, the three Dandelions laying asleep still in beds nearby. Xehanort sat in a hunch on the throne to Yen Sid's left. Before them were three Keyblades: Master Ory's Two-Pence, Millicent's Abyssal Tide, and Lillian's Daughter of the Sea, all with flowered wreaths hanging from the pommels. Yen Sid took a sad sigh and rose to his feet.

"Ordinarily, the successful completion of a Mark of Mastery exam is a day of celebration and joy. But then as we all know, sometimes fate has other designs for us. Not only do we celebrate Eraqus's ascension to the rank of Keyblade Master, but we also honor and celebrate the lives of three of our comrades. A son, a sister, and a lover. Although they no longer stand beside us, they remain forever with us within our hearts, and within our memories." Yen Sid said as they all bowed their heads in respect, Eraqus allowing a tear to fall from his face. After a moment of silence, Yen Sid cleared his throat, everyone looking up at him.

"Ordinarily, the Keyblades of fallen Wielders would be sent to the Keyblade Graveyard to stand amongst their fellows, but in this case, we're making a special allowance. Eraqus…" Yen Sid said before motioning towards Lillian's Keyblade. Eraqus nodded and approached her Keyblade, respectfully removed the wreath and laid it aside. He then picked up the Keyblade, the weapon reverting to its Keychain form in his hand. He then stepped back as Yen Sid raised his hand towards the two remaining Keyblades which soon glowed with light and slowly faded away until they had vanished, the wreaths falling to the ground beneath them. Yen Sid then took a steady breath.

"Now that the time for tears has passed…" he said, his gaze narrowing and shifting sharply towards Xehanort. Xehanort suddenly found himself catapulted from the throne, sending him tumbling across the ground. Xehanort hissed in pain from his back as he landed on the floor.

"GAH!" he cried out as Yen Sid glared at him angrily.

"Xehanort, you have openly consorted with the forces of Darkness! You provided them with information and have directly led to the pain, suffering, and death of innocent lives! What say you to your defense?" Yen Sid asked as Xehanort staggered to his feet, a defiant scowl on his face but he refused to look at his master.

"I have none." He replied. Yen Sid gave a respectful nod, accepting his answer.

"Very well. As the Guardian of the World of Disneylahn, I sentence you to exile from this world. You may never return here for as long as I maintain guardianship of this world. I expect you to leave as soon as possible." Yen Sid said as Xehanort bowed his head and then turned to Eraqus. Eraqus looked at him with a sad but stern expression. Xehanort took a breath and reached under his coat, pulling out Millicent's tome, handing it to him.

"I promised Lillian that I would return this to her when I was finished. She would want you to have it in her stead." Xehanort said before turning away and starting to walk towards the doors. Eraqus took a breath before turning towards his old friend.

"Xehanort!" he called, the older Master turning back to look towards him curiously. Eraqus merely smiled at him.

"May your Heart be Your Guiding Key." Eraqus said as Xehanort smiled and gave a nod before turning back and towards the doors, walking through them as he summoned his armor and glider, taking for the stars, leaving Disneylahn for the last time. Eraqus watched him depart until he heard Yen Sid approaching him from behind. He then felt Yen Sid's hand around his back.

"Have you given any thought as to what you'll do now, Eraqus?" Yen Sid asked as Eraqus sighed.

"I don't know really. Most of my plans involved…settling down with Lillian. Having kids, raising them to become Keyblade Masters. Now…I don't know what to do." He said sadly. Yen Sid gave a sad smile and took a breath.

"Might I make a suggestion? With Master Ory passing on, his world is empty, alone. The Land of Departure needs a Master to watch over it. I had thought Xehanort would make a good candidate for it until I learned of his treachery. But now, perhaps you would be a better Guardian for it." Yen Sid said as Eraqus smiled a little.

"Perhaps." He replied. Yen Sid then turned him towards the sleeping Dandelions.

"Then there are those three. I won't sugarcoat it, Eraqus. My power is fading. Slowly, but surely. It may take days, it may take decades, but in time, my power will fade. I overexerted myself in trying to keep the gates of the Tempest open. It tore a hole in my Heart. Fairly soon, I won't be able to call myself a Master. And let's face it, I'm no spring chicken. These young ones need someone to take care of them, to show them a love only a father can. You may not be able to start a family with Lillian, but perhaps you can have one just the same to honor her memory." Yen Sid explained as Eraqus smiled at the children and gave a nod.

"Lillian wouldn't want me to mope about alone in an old castle by myself." He said as Yen Sid chuckled and pat him on the back.

"No, and nor would I for that matter. I've already decided to continue training Oswald and soon Mickey will begin his. I don't think taking three on at once so soon would be a good idea. So choose which two of the three your heart would wish to raise." Yen Sid said as Eraqus approached the dandelions. He smiled down at the young Terra and the infant Aqua.

"Terra…Aqua…though the people who brought you life are gone, I hope I can at least bring the both of you the tender love and care they would've shown you." Eraqus said as Yen Sid approached.

"I believe that they are in good hands. When you're ready, I'll open a portal to the Land of Departure. Better to travel that way than through the void." Yen Sid said but Eraqus shook his head.

"I've no preparations to make. I'm ready to go when you are, Master." He said as Yen Sid smiled and picked up the sleeping Aqua.

"Mickey, Oswald, look after Si'Lea until I return, will you?" he asked as Oswald and Mickey both approached them.

"We will Master." Oswald said as Eraqus knelt down to their level.

"I'm going to miss you guys." Eraqus said with a sad smile.

"Don't worry Eraqus, we'll get to see each other again someday." Mickey said as Oswald nodded.

"Yeah, we'll see ya real soon. And if ya ever wanna stop by Disney Town, we'll give you a royal welcome." Oswald said before Eraqus embraced the Brother Kings.

"Thank you, my friends." He said, standing up and smiling at them.

"Forgive me just this once. I know I'm not one of your subjects but…" he said as he summoned his Keyblade and held it in front of him with a bow of his head.

"…Long Live the Kings." He said as the two bowed back to him. Eraqus then dismissed his Keyblade, turned, and picked up the sleeping Terra in his arms, the boy resting his head on his shoulder. Yen Sid then turned and opened a portal to the Land of Departure, the Castle's Forecourt visible through the portal. The two children started to stir as the two Masters passed through the portal into the Land of Departure.

"Where…where am I?" Terra asked sleepily as Aqua cooed.

"We're at our new home." Eraqus replied as the portal closed behind them.

"Home?" Terra asked as Eraqus set him down onto his feet. The spell Yen Sid had placed on his memory had made him forget about his father.

"Mmm-hmm. My name is Eraqus. I'm your Master. Do you know what that is?" Eraqus asked, kneeling down onto one knee. Terra looked at him confused and shook his head.

"Nuh-uh." He replied. Eraqus chuckled.

"It means I'm going to be taking care of you. This is Master Yen Sid and this…" Eraqus said, gently taking Aqua in his arms.

"This is Aqua. She's…kinda gonna be like your sister from now on." Eraqus said as Terra wrinkled his nose at her.

"I don't like her." He said bluntly as Eraqus snorted in amusement. Yen Sid couldn't help but smile and laugh quietly to himself in response.

"Well, give it time. I'm sure you two will grow up to be good friends." Eraqus said as Terra shrugged.

"No we won't." he replied.

"Stubborn as a rock, it would seem." Yen Sid muttered.

"Well his name is Terra." Eraqus said as Yen Sid took Aqua back into his arms.

"Oh, one thing before I leave you Eraqus. Ory mentioned he had something at the old jetty. You should go look into it." Yen Sid said as Eraqus glanced towards a side gate that led down towards a winding mountain path.

"If you're sure." Eraqus said as Yen Sid gave a nod and a smile. Without a word, Eraqus turned and headed for the mountain path, unsure of what he would find. The path bent and curved along the side of the mountain, leading down towards a rocky shoreline where an old and unused jetty sat. But as he got close enough to see the jetty, he saw something that made him pause in surprise and smile widely. He hurried down the steps to the jetty where a certain woman stood waiting for him next to her dory as it sat next to her in the water.

"How was my funeral?" she asked as he smiled and chuckled, reaching into his pocket to pull out the keychain to her Keyblade.

"Quite moving, although, Xehanort's been exiled from Disneylahn for getting your sister killed among other things." Eraqus said as he handed her the keychain back. Lillian frowned a little at this.

"As much as I wish she was, my sister was right about him." She said as Eraqus produced Millicent's Tome from under his haori.

"He's not all bad. There's good in him. At the least, we can always say he does as his heart guides him to." Eraqus said as Lillian took the book and tossed it in an open chest on the front of her dory. There were mostly some old clothes in the chest which she kicked shut.

"Perhaps." She said before they looked at each other with sad smiles, tears forming in their eyes.

"This really is goodbye, isn't it? Why the secrecy?" he asked.

"The worlds need to believe I'm gone. That way I can better carry out my mission. And I'll still drop in every so often. Maybe not every year but…" she said sadly, her sentence dropping off. They then embraced each other, both of them holding back their tears.

"I'll wait for you. Either there, or at World's End." Lillian whispered into his ear.

"And I with you, my Daughter of the Sea." He replied before they embraced in a loving kiss. They kissed for at least a minute before they parted. Lillian smiled at him before picking up a long blue coat with gold edging, pulling it on and pulling up the hood. Without a word she climbed into her dory and loosed her moorings. She summoned her Keyblade and thrust it towards the sail, wind filling it as the dory set sail. Eraqus watched with a sad smile as Lillian sailed off into the horizon, Lillian smiling back at him until they couldn't see each other anymore. Eraqus then sadly turned away and headed for the stairs leading back up the path. The world faded away, leaving only Eraqus and Lillian, traveling away from each other as the older Lillian appeared, watching the scene sadly.

"_Now you know what happened all those years ago. You've heard the message meant for you. Even to this day I wish it could have been different. But alas, to weep for the past only takes time away to prepare for the future." _Master Lillian said with a smile as Eraqus and the younger Lillian faded away.

"You've gone through a lot, Master." Aqua said as Lillian shrugged.

"_Rather an experienced sailor than a green buck who doesn't know his aft from a gun port. But such is fate sometimes. Not even we Foretellers can see all that life will bring us. But when my time comes, I will have no regrets. Eraqus and I would still see each other as the three of you will testify. And although our paths wouldn't cross, our love would never falter." _Lillian said, looking at her book on the Arcana Librium.

"Master, with respect, but there are still questions. Like, who was the Traveler? Where did he come from?" Terra asked.

"And most importantly, where have you been all this time?" Ven asked, everyone sitting forward anxiously to hear Lillian's answer. Lillian glanced away in thought but with a frown.

"_Alas, I've never learned the identity of the Traveler. I fear that he is someone you will meet or perhaps have already met. I cannot say for sure. All that I know is that I've not been able to see him beyond what has already been shown. And as for my whereabouts…that's something we'll need to discuss in a more…private setting." _she said with a coy smile. She suddenly faded away, the chapter concluding. They suddenly heard a distinct click from the book. Aqua quietly got up and noticed the latch had appeared. She attempted to open it but it wouldn't budge.

"I guess that's it then." Ienzo said as he stood up.

"It seems we aren't meant to hear the answer." Even said as he and everyone else took to their feet.

"Thank you for letting us sit in on this, Master Aqua. This has been, most illuminating." Ansem said as Aqua gave him a nod.

"We're glad you could share it with us." She said as Ansem stepped towards them.

"I would like to do something to honor your lost parents, if that's alright." Ansem said to Aqua and Terra.

"Thank you, Lord Ansem, but that won't be necessary." Terra said as Aqua nodded in agreement.

"If you want to do something, you have our blessing. But we've already shed our tears long ago." Aqua said as Ansem nodded understandingly.

"You are always welcome in Radiant Garden." Ansem said before giving a bow which was reciprocated. He and the apprentices then quietly filed out of the room into the halls. Shantotto then stood up with a sigh.

"Alas and a lack. I never quite understood how high the deck was stacked. But perhaps it's for the best, so that we can let the spirits of the dead find rest. It was nice to see the mystery undone. Thank you for the story. I had fun." Shantotto said as she walked towards the door.

"You had as much of a right to know as we did, Professor." Aqua said as Shantotto gave a light shrug.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But these memories have hit a sweet spot. And so I leave you all without a disparaging word, except to hope your memories of this don't become blurred. Now don't forget all that you have learned, and on that note, class is adjourned." Shantotto said before snapping her fingers and vanishing in a flash of light back to Magician's Bayou. The moment she did though, they heard another click from the book.

"Oh, it looks like the book's unlocked again." Aqua said.

"Well then let's find out what's happened." Axel said as they all sat down again. Aqua then raised her hand towards the Arcana Librium as Donald and Goofy closed the doors to the reading room. Master Lillian reappeared, sitting at her desk again. She then looked up and smiled.

"_My final voyage, away from the home I had loved so deep, was among the hardest I'd ever undertaken. But before I could reach my destination, there was one piece of unfinished business to take care of…"_ Lillian said before she faded away and Radiant Garden appeared in her place.

Sitting on a park bench within Radiant Garden's square, Namine watched from a distance with a quiet smile as Ansem and his four newly minted apprentices walked through town. Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus wore matching grey uniforms with white gloves and black boots while Even followed in a lab coat. Braig was uncomfortably tugging at the collar of his new uniform. Namine couldn't help but smile proudly at the five young men. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Sorry I'm late, ma'am." A familiar voice said. Namine smiled and looked up to see Eraqus standing nearby, the small pink box in his hand. He smiled and handed the box to her.

"As promised." He said as she stood up and smiled at him.

"You didn't have to do that, Eraqus." She said but Eraqus shrugged.

"I made a promise." He replied.

"I hope it didn't come at too much of a cost." She said. Eraqus glanced away with a sad frown.

"There was some difficulty but…in time I'll be fine." He replied as Namine frowned pityingly at him.

"I'm so sorry. All this trouble for a such a small trinket." Namine said as she opened the pink box to reveal a small necklace with a lone white bead on it. It was the same necklace that Kairi wore in the present, the same one Aqua had enchanted to protect her.

"That's pretty." Eraqus said as Namine smiled.

"Thank you. My daughter has said she wants a daughter of her own one day. I thought this might make a nice present one day." Namine said, closing the box. She then looked at Eraqus who looked at her pityingly.

"Are you sure you want to forget?" he asked as she sighed.

"If I don't, curiosity will get the better of me." She replied as Eraqus nodded understandingly.

"Alright, but perhaps there is something I can do to help. You said you like stories, well, there is one story I can share with you, one that you can remember." Eraqus said as she smiled and folded her hands together in front of her, waiting patiently for him to begin. He cleared his throat.

"Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of Light. Everyone loved the Light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And Darkness was born in their hearts. The Darkness spread, swallowing the Light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of Light survived...in the Hearts of children. With these fragments of Light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world you live in now. But the True Light sleeps, deep within the Darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a Door to the Innermost Darkness will open. And the True Light will return. So, listen. Even in the Deepest Darkness, there will always be a Light to guide you. Believe in the Light, and the Darkness will never defeat you. Your Heart will shine with its power and push the Darkness away." Eraqus said as Namine smiled and gave a nod.

"What a beautiful story. I'll have to remember that." She said as Eraqus gave a light shrug and a smile.

"You will, but that's all. This is where our paths divert. May the light shine forever upon you, kind mother." Eraqus said before turning and walking away. Namine smiled and sat down on the bench again. After a moment, she blinked in confusion and looked down to see the box in her hand (Music Cue: Sanctuary – Utada Hikaru).

"I thought I'd lost this." She muttered to herself before smiling, sensing that there was something important to it but paid it no mind. Instead she quietly sat back and smiled at the sky as a star streaked across the heavens.

_.wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I_

She smiled at the star curiously, and found the strangely irresistible urge to utter a single word.

"Goodbye."

"_In you and I there's a new land.  
Angel's in flight.  
.wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
My sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah,  
where fears and lies melt away.  
Music inside.  
wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
What's left of me what's left of me now."_

In Magician's Bayou, Shantotto smiled at her bookshelf in her study at Xehanort's "Scalp" within a trophy case hidden high up on one wall. She then let out one of her haughty laughs in amusement.

"_I watch you fast asleep,  
all I fear means nothing"_

In the Highlands, Merida watched while trying her best to hold her laughter as her father attempted to knock back an arrow into a bow but the arrow slipped from his hand and flew wild. He cringed at where it landed, causing Merida to burst out laughing.

_"In you and I there's a new land.  
Angels in flight.  
.wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
My sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah,  
where fears and lies melt away.  
Music inside.  
wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
What's left of me what's left of me now."_

In Camelot, young Arthur sat with a large crown on his head that slipped down around his eyes. The crown was suddenly lifted back on his head, allowing him to see Merlin smiling proudly at him. Arthur smiled appreciatively at the wizard.

_".snwod dna spu ynam oS (So many ups and downs)  
My heart's a battleground.  
.snoitome eurt deen I (I need true emotions)  
.wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
.snoitome eurt deen I"_

In Disney Town, Mickey and Oswald both stood near the Cornerstone of Light as Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and some of the other townsfolk bid them both farewell near a round portal leading to Disneylahn.

_"You show me how to see,  
that nothing is whole and nothing is broken."_

The Brother Kings stepped through the portal in time to find that instead of the majestic castle they were expecting, they were standing on a small island floating on a rainbow sea with only a single grey tower with blue conical roof. Before them they saw Yen Sid with the infant Si'Lea in one arm and Keyblade in hand.

_"In you and I there's a new land.  
Angels in flight.  
.wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
My sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah,  
where fears and lies melt away.  
Music inside.  
wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I  
What's left of me what's left of me now."_

Yen Sid then turned towards them with a smile, producing his familiar blue conical hat from his sleeve and placing it on his head.

"_My fears and lies,  
melt away.  
.wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen I"_

In the Land of Departure, Eraqus followed the young Terra to the summit, Aqua in his arms, as the young boy explored. Eraqus smiled at the boy's curiosity before looking sadly towards the ocean, taking breath with a sad smile, quietly wondering if his love had reached her destination safely.

* * *

**End Chapter 36**

The song above was obviously Sanctuary by Utada Hikaru. Also obviously, I do not own the song.

One more chapter to go…


	37. Destiny

Aqua, Terra, Ven, Axel, Mickey, Oswald, Donald, and Goofy stood in front of the Arcana Librium, all with bated breath as Master Lillian appeared before them.

"_Now, comes the conclusion of my tale. All the answers I can provide have been given, save for one. The question that has hung at the backs of your mind since beginning this story. The question of where I've been these past twenty years. Well, loves, it is here that I bid you farewell. May this final chapter provide you with the answer you seek. And May your Heart be Your Guiding Key." _Master Lillian said as the world darkened around them, a thick grey fog rolling quickly in, Lillian fading away into the fog. The fog was very thick, nothing visible at all for a moment until finally a small light appeared within the fog, a flickering flame. Finally, from the fog emerged Lillian's dory, Lillian sitting at the front, holding a lantern in her hand. Her hood was still up as she sailed through the fog. She looked up but saw no stars. There was too much light for it to be night time but the fog was too thick to even see the sky. She could hear gulls flying around overhead, signaling that there was land nearby. She looked ahead but could see nothing. She then saw something ahead, a light moving in the fog. She squinted in the hopes of seeing the light's source but as she did a sandy shoreline appeared before her in the fog. She quickly braced herself, knowing there wasn't enough time to change course and suddenly came to a jarring halt as the dory ran aground on the shore. She sighed and stood up, climbing out of the boat and into the ankle-deep water.

"Bollocks." She cursed under her breath as she quietly checked the hull for any damage. The starboard side was fine but as she moved around to the port side, she heard footsteps in the sand nearby.

"Come on, come on." A man's voice muttered anxiously. She could make out the shape of a person wandering back and forth in the sand within the fog, carrying an electric lantern.

"Ahoy there!" Lillian called, the man stopping and turning towards her.

"Who's there? Who are you?" the man asked as he approached. He had short, mildly spiked brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a white dress shirt with knee length white shorts. His feet were bare and he wore no jewelry. He looked to be in somewhere between his mid to late teens.

"Lillian. I seem to have run aground. Can you tell me where I am?" she asked as the man looked her over curiously at her attire.

"Uh, maybe. I don't have time though. Forgive me but I'm crunched for time." He said as he looked upwards for something hidden in the fog.

"Something the matter?" she asked.

"Yeah. This fog has all the trees hidden. I need to find one in particular." He said as he looked around. Lillian arched a curious eyebrow and started following him. She quietly turned while his back was turned and spun her hand a little in the air, casting a spell that summoned some wind to blow the fog upwards into the air a little, revealing numerous palm trees scattered around within an overgrown tropical cove. The man sighed with relief.

"Yes! Finally!" he cheered as he looked around at the tree tops.

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

"I'm looking for a-…there's one!" he exclaimed before dropping his lantern and running towards a tree, starting to scramble nimbly up the side towards the top. Lillian watched curiously as he pulled something off the top and then dropped back down onto the sand, picking up his lantern.

"Thanks for your help." He said as she looked at him confused.

"I didn't do anything though." She said as the man shrugged.

"You offered to lend a hand. It was enough." He replied with a smile as he passed by her towards a tall wooden watchtower, circling around the base of it. Lillian followed after him to saw him pushing a wooden raft into the water.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Around to the other side, to start a new life!" the man replied with a grin. Lillian glanced up and saw a hole in the rocky wall on a ledge with a ladder.

"Then why use a raft?" she asked, motioning to the passage. The man laughed and glanced at her dory before looking over his shoulder.

"Follow me and you'll see." He said, standing near the raft's mast. Lillian shrugged and turned to her dory, pushing it off the sandbank and into the water before leaping into it. She made her way to the rudder and turned back towards the front, turning the dory towards him. The man nodded back at her and started to guide her around the island. Lillian furrowed her brow, the fog getting lighter as they sailed around to the other side of the small island. There she could see the evening sun just above the horizon while the fog seemed to obscure most of the ocean to her immediate left while the rest of the fog seemed to be isolated to behind her and the cove side of the island. But on the other side she saw something unusual. There were a number of canoes, rafts, rowboats, all with various people aboard, all wearing nice clean tropic islander clothes, some of them with lanterns aboard. They were all floating relatively close together but the moment they saw the man starting to approach, a hush fell over them, all of them smiling towards him. She earned a few curious looks of her own as she followed him. The man turned back and motioned for her to move away from him to port.

"Something wrong? Shallow draft?" she asked but he smiled and shook his head.

"Not unless you just want to get married to a man you've never met." He said as Lillian looked around and suddenly realized what was happening. It was a local wedding.

"Oh! My apologies!" she said, quickly turning hard to port to sail away and join the rest of the boats. Her reaction earned some amused laughter from the gathered crowd. The man proceeded to beach his raft on the shore of the island and made his way up towards a wooden bridge that connected to a small islet with a sideways palm tree. Lillian pulled her dory around in between a couple boats.

"What's going on?" Lillian asked a teenaged woman in a white dress with long white hair draped down her right side.

"A wedding, obviously." She said.

"Oh. Forgive me, I'm new around here." Lillian said as the woman looked at her curiously and smiled but motioned to be quiet. Everyone in the boats were silent, looking at a raft approaching from the opposite direction. Lillian looked and saw the raft had three occupants, an older man and woman, kneeling at the back, paddling, while a young woman in her teens, stood at the bow in a simple white dress with a flower lei around her head, holding a bouquet of flowers. She had dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. Lillian pegged her for the bride right away. Lillian sat back against the mast of her dory, watching with a smile. She didn't know any of them but she still couldn't help but imagine it being her and Eraqus up there. The Bride's raft beached itself on the opposite shore, the bride walking her way up to the wooden bridge while the older couple moved to stand close to each other. The parents of the bride as Lillian figured.

The bride crossed the wooden bridge, smiling at the groom, the love of her life, as she approached. On the islet with the groom was a young man with short white hair, wearing a lapel pin shaped like a policeman's badge, but otherwise wearing an identical outfit to the groom's. He stood just behind the groom, nudging him proudly. The best man by Lillian's guess. There was also a veritable giant of a man with a shaven head and clean chin wearing a white dress shirt and white Bermuda shorts, carrying a book under one arm. Lillian figured he was a clergyman of some kind or the equivalent of. The bride and groom took each other by the hand, standing near the edge of the islet where everyone could see. The large man then approached, standing just next to them, smiling at them both before looking at the groom. The groom proceeded to pull something from under his shirt, placing it into the man's hand. Lillian couldn't make it out save for it was yellow. The man then held the object into the air for all to see. That's when Lillian recognized it and her eyes widened in surprise.

It was a small yellow fruit in the shape of a five pointed star, identical to the one from her visions. Her mouth dropped open in shock. She watched as the man lowered the fruit down at eye level for the couple, who both took hold of it with their right hands. The man took his hands away and the couple proceeded to pull the fruit apart, the fruit splitting in half perfectly down the middle. This seemed to impress the locals who gasped and awed with a soft-spoken excitement.

"A perfect split? Damn." The white haired woman in the boat next to Lillian's muttered with a grin.

"How lucky." A petite young woman on the opposite side said in awe. She had long black hair worn down around her shoulders, flowers in her hair, and wore a blue dress shirt and white skirt. Again, no shoes. She was also in her mid-to-late teens. Lillian returned her attention to the couple as they offered the half they'd torn of the fruit to each other, both taking a bite of the fruit, chewing it and swallowing it. They continued until the fruit had been consumed. The tall man then looked to the best-man who approached, reaching into his shirt pocket and producing two silver rings. The tall man took the rings in the palm of one of his massive hands and held them between the bride and groom. They both took one ring and slipped the rings onto each other's left ring fingers at the same time. Once the rings were on each other's fingers, the tall man put a hand on both their shoulders and gave a nod with a proud smile. The couple grinned at each other before throwing their arms around each other and embracing in their first kiss as husband and wife. The crowd of onlookers applauded as the two kissed, the two teenaged women next to Lillian cheering loudly.

"Way to go Umi!" the petite woman cheered.

"Alright Aozora!" the white haired woman applauded loudly. Lillian shrugged and applauded as well. After a moment's applause, the large man let out a loud tribal yell, silencing the crowd but only briefly as the sound of tribal drums started, some of the people shaking wooden rattles and chimes (Music Cue: We Know The Way – Moana). Lillian noticed some of the boats moving away from each other, turning and making a path through the center of them, revealing a single pontoon raft sitting in the water at the base of the islet. The newlywed couple joined hands and bravely jumped together onto the raft, landing on it safely to the delight of the crowd. The tall man and the best man both hurried to separate boats of theirs, the tall man starting to sing out in a foreign tongue native to the locals…

"_Tatou o tagata folau e vala'auina!  
E le atua o le sami tele e o mai!  
Ia ava'e le lu'itau e lelei!  
Tapenapena!"_

He sang out as the newlyweds unfurled a sail on the raft, and started to sail between the crowd as the crowd sang out…

"_Aue, aue!  
Nuku i mua,  
Te manulele e tataki e!  
Aue, aue,  
te fenua, te malie!  
Nae ko hakilia mo kaiga e!"_

The couple sailed up the "aisle," starting to lead the rest of the crowd towards the fog. They seemed to know what they were headed for. Lillian started sailing along with them. The groom then looked to his bride with a wide grin…

"_We'll read the wind and the sky,  
when the sun is high!"_

He sang. She smiled and sang back to him…

"_We'll sail the length of seas,  
on the ocean breeze!"_

She sang before they sang together…

"_At night we'll name every star!  
We know where we are!  
We know who we are, who we are!"_

"Aue aue!" the crowd sang as the couple sang again…

"_Here we'll set a course to find,  
our new Destiny everywhere we roam!"_

"Aue aue!" the crowd sang as the couple sang…

"_We keep our Islands in our mind!"  
And when it's time to find home,  
we know the way!"_

Lillian looked ahead as the fog ahead of her parted, revealing a mountainous island with a peaceful town settled upon it. She smiled widely at the world as the crowd sang…

"_Aue, aue!__  
We are explorers reading every sign!  
We tell the stories of our elders,  
in the never ending chain_ _!  
__Aue, aue!  
Te fenua, te mālie!  
Nā heko hakilia!__  
We know the way!"_

The crowd then started to applaud, sailing on towards the island. Lillian smiled at the island before her. She recognized the symbols, the signs, from her vision. She looked back at the islet, at the sideways tree, and she could recognize the yellow star shaped fruit. She looked at the couple for a moment and closed her eyes, a vision coming to her that made her smile widely. She then opened her eyes and at the islands again. Lillian's narration began again…

"_And that was the moment I knew, beyond all doubt, that I had found the place my visions had been guiding me to. It was here that the Light I was supposed to find could be found. Here, the place preordained for my self-imposed exile. The place I would, and have, called my home for these past twenty years. These islands…"_

"…_These Destiny Islands."_

At that the world faded away, with Lillian sailing on towards the larger island to begin her new life. In the reading room, everyone gathered was floored, wide eyed at the revelation.

"**WHAT?!"** they all yelled in disbelief.

"She's been on the Destiny Islands this whole time?!" Terra asked.

"No way!" Axel yelped.

"We gotta get there! Fast!" Ven said as Aqua gave a nod.

"You got that right! Axel!" Aqua said, looking towards the Flurry of the Dancing Flames who grinned and saluted.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" he replied, reaching out a hand and opening a Corridor of Darkness.

"Don't wait for us! We'll meet you fellas there!" Mickey said as he, Oswald, Donald, and Goofy, with Jiminy riding on Mickey's shoulder turned and ran for the door.

"Right!" Ven said as they armored up, Axel pulling his hood up, the four all hurrying into the Corridor, bringing the book with them.

…

On the Destiny Islands, just outside of Sora's house, Riku stood leaning against the fence outside the house. Kairi soon approached from up the road, wearing her casual clothes (KH2 attire). Sora's parents, Aozora and Umi were both sitting arm in arm on the porch swing, both quietly saddened by the recent memories.

"How is he today?" Kairi asked with a worried smile.

"His parents unearthed some old photo albums from before…he's taking some time to look through them alone. He's a trooper though, he'll pull through." Riku said as Kairi looked towards the house for a moment and then at Riku.

"What about you? How are you holding up?" she asked as he shrugged.

"I'm alright. Aqua messaged me earlier. Apparently she and the others, plus Axel, are following some kind of lead. They said they'd keep me posted but-…" he said as Kairi looked at him with a strangely knowing smile, as if scolding him for something.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"You're dodging my question." She said as Riku sighed.

"I feel like scum. I kept that secret for eleven years. A secret so big from my best friend. I feel horrible." Riku said as Kairi gave him a curious look.

"Is he mad at you?" she asked but Riku shook his head with a scowl.

"No, and that's the worst part of it. He won't even yell at me. Damn it I wish he would." Riku grumbled.

"Sora forgave you, Riku. You were keeping a promise to try and make him happy. To keep him happy. I remember you saying that you never wanted to see him upset like that again." Kairi said as Riku glared at her.

"And let him suffer in silent ignorance for eleven years? Some friend." He muttered. Kairi sighed and shook her head. She then sensed something and looked towards the beach, stepping towards it curiously.

"Kairi?" Riku asked, looking at her curiously.

"Something's coming." She said as Riku stood up off the fence, looking towards the beach. After a moment they saw it, a Corridor of Darkness opening before them. Kairi leapt back with her Keyblade summoned, Riku summoning his as both dropped into fighting stances.

"Oh!" Kairi exclaimed with a smile as she lowered her Keyblade, smiling at Riku.

"It's okay." She said shortly before four figures, one in a black coat and three in familiar suits of armor came scrambling out of the Corridor which closed behind them.

"Aqua? Terra? Ven? Axel? What's going on?" Riku asked, standing down as the three dismissed their armor and Axel pulled back his hood.

"Riku, quickly, do you know anyone here named Lillian?" Aqua asked as Riku arched a confused eyebrow.

"Lillian? Not that I remember. Why?" he asked, confused. Aozora and Umi however both sat up curiously at this.

"It's a very long story." Axel groaned.

"Who are you talking about?" Kairi asked.

"Lillian?" Aozora asked as he and Umi approached them.

"Oh, Mister Aozora, Ms. Umi, we're sorry to disturb you but we need to ask you both something. Do you know a woman named Lillian?" Terra asked.

"And no that's not the name of a song." Axel added. Aozora and Umi looked at each other in quiet surprise.

"Why, we know that name quite well. In fact we've known her for as long as we've been married." Aozora replied as Umi smiled and nodded.

"I haven't thought about her in a long time. She used to make jewelry in town." Umi said as Aozora gave a nod.

"That she did. She did fine work. Why? Do you need a good jeweler?" Aozora asked as Axel, Aqua, Terra, and Ven looked at each other.

"Where is she?" Aqua asked.

"Oh I'm afraid she left town a long time ago. At least ten years ago." Aozora said as the hearts of the other four sank.

"Ten years ago?" Ven asked, crestfallen. Riku then snapped his fingers together.

"Oh I remember her! She used to have that old boat that all us kids would play on outside her house. She could pull off a great pirate accent." Riku chuckled, smiling at the memories.

"I don't remember that." Kairi said as Riku sighed.

"It was before you came along…" Riku said before suddenly pausing, his expression turning to concern.

"In fact…she left shortly before you arrived. The same day that-…" Riku said, looking slowly at Aozora and Umi who looked at him confused for a moment before they began to understand what he was saying.

"Riku…you're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting, are you?" Umi asked as Riku turned towards the four.

"Why are you looking for her?" he asked slowly. Aqua, Terra, Ven, and Axel looked at each other before looking at Lillian's Tome in Aqua's hands.

"You might want to find somewhere comfortable. This is going to take a while to explain." Aqua said as she handed the book to Riku, the lock popping open. Riku looked at Kairi and Sora's parents who all nodded before he reached for the lid.

…

Fifteen years in the past, in that very spot, Master Lillian stood on the sidewalk, watching a younger Aozora painting the picket fence. Lillian now wore a simple purple polo shirt and a long white skirt with frills, a brown leather belt, and white sandals. The glow in her eyes went out and she smiled wider. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a necklace with her Mark of Mastery badge, opening it and smiling at the picture of her former fiancé. She then cleared her throat and approached the house.

"Aozora!" she called. Aozora looked up and smiled at her.

"Oh, Lillian, what brings you by?" Aozora asked as he stood up, putting down the paint brush.

"Just stopping by to ask a favor. I'm going out of town for a couple days and I was wondering if you could keep an eye on the house while I'm away." Lillian said as Aozora gave a nod.

"Sure thing. Where are you going?" he asked. Lillian was about to answer when Umi approached with a young girl in her arms. The girl was four years old and had spiky brown hair. She wore a green shirt and matching darker green shorts.

"I thought I heard voices. Hello Lillian." Umi greeted with a friendly smile.

"Hello Umi. Hello Misora." Lillian greeted to the little girl who smiled and waved at her.

"Hi Miss Lilly!" she greeted cheerfully.

"What brings you by?" Umi asked as Lillian shrugged.

"Going out of town to visit a friend for a couple days. I was just asking your wonderful husband if he wouldn't mind watching my house while I'm away." Lillian replied as Umi gave a nod.

"Oh of course. I'll help too." Umi said but Lillian looked at her coyly.

"I am, of course, taking the key to the jewelry safe with me." Lillian said as Umi pursed her lips with a smile, snapping her fingers in mock disappointment. Both women shared a small laugh from it.

"So uh, this friend you're visiting. Is it the uh, one that got away?" Umi asked with a wiggling eyebrow. Lillian smiled and let out a chuckle.

"Yes it is. There's…something I want to talk to him about. Something I've been thinking about lately." Lillian said as Umi smiled knowingly. Aozora was out of the loop and politely stayed quiet. Lillian then felt a tugging at her skirt. She looked down and saw Misora smiling up at her.

"Guess what I'm getting!" she said as Lillian smiled and squatted down towards her.

"What are you getting?" Lillian asked as Misora grinned and pointed to her mother.

"I'm getting a baby brother!" she announced happily. Lillian's eyes widened with delight as she looked up at Umi and Aozora curiously, not fully believing the young child.

"Is she-…" Lillian said but was surprised when both Aozora and Umi nodded.

"She's not fibbing. Doctor confirmed it just this morning." Umi replied, patting her belly.

"Oh my, well congratulations you two!" Lillian said as she stood up and hugged Umi before hugging Aozora.

"Thank you. We're excited." Aozora said with a wide smile as Lillian smiled towards them.

"So it's a boy?" Lillian asked.

"Too early to tell, but…" Umi said, crossing her fingers.

"Hey, you guessed Misora here correctly. Got any predictions for this one?" Aozora asked. Lillian looked at Umi curiously, looking at her belly.

"Well let me see." She said, turning and looking away so as to hide her eyes. She tried to peer into the baby's future but no vision would come. She frowned and shook her head.

"Sorry, no predictions this time. Have you picked a name yet though?" She asked.

"We do. One we've been saving for a son." Umi said as Aozora nodded.

"And it's also a name that works for a girl, just in case." Aozora said, getting a playful punch in the arm from his wife.

"We're naming him Sora." Umi said as Lillian smiled and nodded approvingly.

"Sora…the sky. A good name." Lillian said as she looked to the sky with a smile.

"Sora." She said. Although she couldn't see his future, her instincts told her that this unborn child, Sora, would be someone important sometime in the future.

* * *

**The End…**

…**for now.**

Well this has been a wild ride. Hopefully you all had as much fun reading this story as I had writing it. I want to thank you for joining me on this adventure and you can certainly expect more stories in the future. So until then…

Keep R&Ring…

…And may Your Heart be Your Guiding Key…

Boskov


	38. Epilogue

(A/N: At this point, if you weren't expecting an epilogue, you clearly haven't been paying attention.)

(Ambiance Cue: Keyblade Graveyard Horizon – BBS or KH2 Remix)

In the Keyblade Graveyard, the Traveler walked towards the intersection in the center of the rows of keys, pausing long enough to look at two particular Keyblades nearby: Two-Pence and Abyssal Tide. Both weathered and rusting from at least a decade or more sitting in the wastelands of the Graveyard. The Traveler looked away and continued onward, carrying his Keyblade with him at his side. Ahead of him, he saw two figures approaching from the opposite direction. The three came to a stop facing each other.

"I have done as you requested, Master. I have made sure the Past is secured away, as per your instruction." The Traveler said, holding out the handle of his Keyblade towards the taller of the two figures. The taller one allowed a smile to curl onto his lips.

"Very good. And what of the future? Did you see what it held for us?" the taller figure asked with an old and gravely voice as he reached out a white gloved hand to take hold of the Keyblade.

"Unfortunately, the future remains hidden from us. But, then you knew it would be that way, Master Xehanort." The Traveler said as Master Xehanort smiled at his Keyblade, once again back in his possession.

"Why am I not surprised?" the shorter figure, Vanitas, scoffed, earning a glare from the Traveler.

"It was an attempt to see if we could elicit the future. To see if something would be different this time around. To know the outcome of all my years of planning. But it is of little consequence. It changes nothing. Our plans still move forward as before." Master Xehanort said, dismissing his Keyblade.

"And what of my test, Master? Did I pass?" the Traveler asked as Master Xehanort smiled darkly at him.

"You did, my faithful Apprentice. You have passed your Mark of Mastery Exam. To be able to go against four wielders of the Keyblade, especially ones as skilled as Millicent, Ory, and Eraqus, and to defeat two and hold your own against us, is proof enough that you are indeed worthy of the rank of Master. Congratulations, my friend." Master Xehanort said as the Traveler bowed to him.

"I am humbled and honored, Master." The Traveler said as Master Xehanort turned so he was able to look at both Vanitas and the Traveler.

"Their side of the board is now set. We shall now turn our attention to the next phase of the plan." Master Xehanort said as Vanitas looked towards him curiously, his expression hidden beneath his domed helmet.

"Does this mean we get to pay 'brother' a visit?" he asked.

"In due time, Vanitas." Master Xehanort said before turning towards the Traveler.

"I have heard through my friend, Eraqus, that my old Master has finished training another apprentice. Master Si'Lea. She is to be sent to the Forgotten Worlds to support Master Oswald there. You are to accompany her to those worlds." Master Xehanort said as the Traveler gave a nod.

"And my mission, Master?" the Traveler asked. Master Xehanort reached beneath his coat and produced a black book with a large letter X in white on the cover and a black latch keeping the two covers shut.

"You are to set our side of the board." He said as the Traveler took the book and tucked it under his arm.

"I am honored by this task, Master." The Traveler said. He then noticed a Corridor of Darkness opening nearby.

"To aid you in your mission, you will need someone at your side. An apprentice of your own. I believe you know them." Master Xehanort said as another, shorter, figure in a black coat emerged from the Corridor. The figure had heeled boots on and a slimmer build. The figure then bowed respectfully to them.

"I am here at your command, Master Xehanort." The figure said, speaking with the voice of a young woman. The Traveler and Vanitas both looked at her in surprise.

"That voice…oh nice job, Master." Vanitas said with a dark chuckle.

"How is this possible, Master? When last I saw her, she was adamant in her refusal. Especially after what I did to-…" The Traveler said but Master Xehanort looked at the figure.

"Her anger turned to grief which begat sadness. Time broke her spirit and Darkness filled the void. She is ready and willing to begin training under you. I believe she will prove most loyal and efficient." Master Xehanort said as the Traveler chuckled.

"So that's where she's been rotting for the past four years. Very well done, Master. We will leave at once." The Traveler said. Master Xehanort extended a hand to him.

"May your Heart be Your Guiding Key." Xehanort said as he and the Traveler shook hands.

"And you as well, Master Xehanort." The Traveler replied before turning and walking towards the smaller figure, walking past her. The smaller figure turned and started following him while Master Xehanort and Vanitas turned and walked off in an opposite direction. Unbeknownst to the four of them, their actions were being watched from afar, from the top of one of the rocky mesas overlooking the Keyblade Graveyard. Four hooded individuals in black coats watched from a distance.

"Remind me again why we have to do this?" the shortest of the four figures asked with the voice of a young boy.

"Because you agreed to help. You didn't have to, you know." Another of the hooded figures said with the voice of a girl.

"But the cost…it's quite a gamble." The third figure, the second tallest of the four, said. He spoke with the voice of a young man. The girl looked towards the tallest of them curiously.

"He's right. What we could end up losing…Are you sure it's worth it?" the girl asked as the tallest reached into its pocket and pulled out a small red ribbon. It looked at the ribbon for a moment before pocketing it and turning towards them.

"I won't make you do this. If you want to turn back, I won't hold it against any of you. In fact, I'm just grateful you've all come this far with me. But I'm going all the same." The tall figure said with a young man's voice. The two boys looked at each other but the girl stepped forward.

"I'm in. I want to end it too. After all he's done, after taking away what he did-…" the girl said, practically seething in her tone. The tall one put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"I know. I appreciate your loyalty to me. To us." He said, the girl putting a hand on his as she bowed her head.

"What of you two?" he said, looking at the other two.

"I dunno. What if we fail and all of this ends up being for naught? I am a risk taker, sure, but only when the odds give me some chance of winning." the taller boy said.

"Well you know what they say, the steeper the odds, the higher the payout if you win." Another voice said (Ambiance Cue: Case of Foretellers – Union-χ Back Cover). The four all spun towards the source to see a tall hooded figure in another black coat approach with his hands behind his back, and Chirithy toddling along beside him.

"Who are you?!" the girl asked, dropping into a fighting stance but the tall boy grabbed her wrist.

"Wait! He's got a Chirithy with him, so let's give him a chance to answer." He said as the Master of Masters stood before them.

"Thanks. Quite a graceful one you are. But you all have a right to be worried. The plan you four have hatched is indeed risky. Very risky. It will require you to take a dark road, and yes you may lose your hearts in the process. But here's where it pays to, occasionally, cheat. In this case, I peaked at the strategy guide. I know, old school am I right? Who buys those anymore?" the Master asked.

"What do you know of our plans? What do you know of us? What we're trying to achieve?" the tall boy asked. The Master simply held out his hand and conjured a small green and black letter X to his hand that spun above his palm.

"This is you guys, right? Or, well, what's left of you. You four decided to break the rules I set out for you, but then the rules already got broke by someone else first. Don't worry, I know all about what happened to you and that's why I'm here. To help." The Master said as Chirithy nodded reassuringly.

"Help? How?" the tall one asked as the Master put his hands behind his back.

"What if I told you that you four will never be able to achieve the objective you've set for yourselves? That if you try to take back what you've lost, you'll lose everything else in the process. But there is someone who can achieve your goal on your behalf and not even realize it. Get him on your side, and you'll succeed." The Master said as the four looked at each other.

"Who?" the tall one asked. The Master tossed something to the tall one, a small blue card with the top edge cut into the shape of a three-pointed crown. On the card was a symbol of a three-pointed crown in silver.

"You will know him by that symbol. He's the Key to unlocking your goals. Find him and get him on your side, and you win." The Master said as the tall one put a gloved hand to his unseen chin.

"It's…possible. But what's the catch?" The tall one asked. The Master turned away from them slightly.

"The catch, is that this is the only real chance you have of accomplishing your goal. Accomplishing it will come at a heavy price to the four of you. You will have to give up your powers, your hearts…even your names to accomplish this task. Some of these sacrifices will be temporary. Others, permanent. But in the end, it will bring you the peace-of-mind you're seeking." The Master explained as the four looked at each other.

"I'll take the risk. I won't ask any of you to do the same unless you want to." The tall one said. Without hesitation, the girl approached.

"I said I'm with you to the end, and so am I." she said. The boy then shrugged and stepped forward.

"We're so gonna die, but maybe it won't be so bad." The boy said. The fourth one sighed and stepped forward as well.

"What's one more roll of the dice then?" he asked as the tall one looked them over and gave a nod of appreciation.

"Thank you, all of you." He said before turning back to the Master.

"So do you have any advice as to where we should start?" The tall one asked.

"Separately. Two go in one direction to search for Nothing. The other two go in search of the place of first meetings. The place where you will meet the One who will help you." The Master said as the girl stepped up next to the tall one.

"Sounds like that's where you and I should start. But what is it? What are we looking for?" The girl asked as the Master turned away, starting to walk away.

"Oblivion." He replied as he and Chirithy walked away, disappearing into a sudden cloud of dust that blew past. The four looked at each other and nodded.

"So this is it then. We have our mission." The tall one said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the ribbon again.

"Our mission to avenge those who have been taken from us." The girl said.

"Our mission to avenge those who have forgotten us." The taller boy said.

"Our mission to avenge those of us who have fallen." The smaller boy said as the four each held out a palm, a small green and black letter X appearing in their hands, spinning above their palms.

"Our mission to take revenge on he who has betrayed us." The tall one said.

"**For that is our mission. The Mission of Union Cross."** The four said in unison as the four X's merged together into one larger X in the center, spinning in front of them.

…

(Ambiance Cue: The Final World – Kingdom Hearts III unofficial soundtrack)

On the Destiny Islands, Sora sat in the twilight of his room, looking sadly out the window towards the moonlit sea. In his hand was a photograph of his four-year-old self and a girl four years older than himself, both grinning at the camera near a wooden raft. It was the last photograph of himself and his sister ever taken. He sighed at the ocean and set the photo down on his nightstand, climbing into bed. He looked at the window quietly remembering the last time he had seen his sister, the scene playing over in his mind.

"_Look Sora, see that star out there? The bright one waaaaay off in the distance? One day, I'm going to visit that world." _Misora's voice echoed in his mind.

"_Can I come too?"_ Sora's younger self had asked, causing Misora to giggle.

"_Of course, silly. But you have to promise me, if we ever become separated, you don't stop looking for me. Promise?" _she asked.

"I promise." Sora whispered sadly before closing his eyes, drifting off to sleep. However he soon felt like there was someone else in the room with him and opened his eyes. When he did, he found himself standing within the Station of Awakening. The stained glass floor of the Station was green with the outline of an individual curled up, almost in the fetal position. Sora looked around confused, looking for what could've brought him there. He then saw something in front of him, a light coming from a small pink heart within a three-dimensional outline of a five-pointed star. Both were spinning slowly.

"Hello?" Sora asked, confused.

"_Good day." _The heart greeted with the voice of a young woman.

"Oh cool, you can talk!" he said excitedly. The heart gave a small laugh of amusement.

"_You seem…familiar somehow. Do I know you?" _she asked but Sora scratched his head.

"I don't know. I don't know if we've met before. So, why am I here?" Sora asked.

"_I heard a voice calling out in the Darkness. Calling out a name. So I followed the voice here. Were you looking for me?" _she asked.

"I don't think so. Are you lost?" Sora asked back.

"_I am lost. But I am not alone. The person I am with has given into grief and sadness. They are surrounded by Darkness. But there is still an ember of Light within them, one I am trying to keep alight." _The girl replied. Sora seemed saddened by this.

"Oh. Is there something I can do to help?" Sora asked.

"_I don't know. But don't worry, something has happened to make those embers grow hotter. I don't know what it was. But it has kept them from succumbing completely to Darkness." _The girl said as Sora smiled.

"Then don't give up hope. Maybe you can help this person out. Just keep the Light alive." Sora said as the girl laughed a little.

"_You remind me of someone. Someone I knew long ago. They didn't even know I existed. I'd always kept my distance, even when it was too late. Maybe you're that someone." _The girl said as Sora shrugged.

"Maybe. Do you have a name?" Sora asked.

"_They took away my name. Everything about me."_ The girl replied, startling Sora.

"No way. They couldn't have taken away your Heart." He said.

"_Only because it pines for another. I wandered, lost in time for so long, until I found the person I was looking for. A person like me. One who is lost. One who seeks what they believe is lost. One believed lost. Together, we hope to Find and be Found by the One who will Find us." _The girl replied.

"Oh, so someone's coming for you?" Sora asked.

"_I cannot be certain. But I believe someone is coming for the both of us." _The girl replied as Sora smiled and nodded.

"Good. And maybe there's something I can do to help. Do you know the name of the person looking for you? If I see him, I can tell him that you're looking for him too." Sora said. The Girl remained silent for a moment before floating up towards his right ear, whispering the name to him. Sora smiled and nodded before looking at the Heart.

"_Our secret."_ She said as Sora gave another nod.

"You bet. Oh, what about your friend? Do you know who's looking for them? Maybe I can tell their friend the same thing." Sora said.

"_I know their name. The name of the person looking for my friend, is Sora." _The girl replied causing Sora to blink in confusion.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

"_That's the name of the person looking for my friend. They've been looking for each other for a long time." _The girl replied. Sora cocked his head to one side.

"How do you know that's who's looking for them?" he asked curiously.

"_Because they made a promise." _The girl replied as Sora swallowed nervously.

"A promise?" he asked (Music Cue: Hikari – orchestral instrumental version – KH1 Remix).

"_A promise to find each other, no matter the distance, if ever they became separated." _The girl said as Sora's eyes widened and his heart began to race.

"Misora! Is the name of your friend Misora?!" Sora asked.

"_Yes, that's her name. How did you-…" _the girl said as Sora grinned excitedly.

"And she's looking for me?!" he asked. The girl let out a soft but surprised gasp but said nothing as a tear ran down Sora's cheek.

"If she's looking for me, that means that she's…" he said, smiling with pure joy. He then dried his eyes and grinned at the heart.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Tell Misora that I'm coming for her, okay?" Sora said.

"_I can't make any promises, but I will try."_ The girl replied as the floor beneath them started to glow. Sora looked down and saw the outline of the person on the glass filling in. A young girl with mildly spiked brown hair, a light green t-shirt, dark green shorts, and brown sandals, with a small charm bracelet on her right wrist, with a single charm dangling from it of the familiar three-pointed crown emblem Sora wore around his neck.

"_I hope you find us soon, Sora." _The girl said before her heart and star both vanished in a bright flash of light. Sora then sat up from his bed, back in his room, a determined smile on his face as he looked at the picture on his nightstand.

"Hang on, Misora. I won't stop looking for you."

* * *

**To be continued…**

…**in Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts – Keys of Chaos.**


End file.
